The head of the “Free Patriotic Movement,” MP Gebran Bassil, stated via his account on the “X” platform that the funds of syndicates and mutual funds represent original rights that cannot be prejudiced or burdened with the consequences of crises in which their members were not involved.
Bassil affirmed that this matter is increasingly important given the national role that syndicates play in filling the gap in the state’s performance, which necessitates respecting their independence and supporting syndicates of liberal professions in protecting the savings of their members.
Bassil’s position coincides with the escalating debate about the plans, laws, and financial measures proposed to address the economic and financial crisis, amid growing concern among syndicates about burdening mutual and pension funds with the accumulated losses in the state and the public sector.
Syndicates of liberal professions have warned on several occasions against any attack on their funds, stressing that they are private funds belonging to members and are not part of public money, and therefore cannot be used to cover deficits or finance crises in which they did not contribute.
The past period witnessed previous syndicate movements and protests in defense of the independence of these funds, in light of the continued deficiency and weakness in the state’s role regarding social security.
