When attempting to obtain an individual Civil Status Abstract (Ekhraj Eid), individuals are required to purchase a specific stamp valued at LBP 50,000. This stamp, introduced in the latest general budget, lacks both paper and electronic substitutes, rendering any effort to obtain it fruitless without the physical stamp.

The problem extends beyond this point. Mukhtars, the sole providers of applications for various personal documents like Civil Status Abstracts, birth, marriage, and death certificates, are protesting against the newly approved general budget that mandates increased fees for these services.

The mukhtars are advocating for the repeal of Article 66 from the General Budget Law, which pertains to the fees for personal status transactions. They argue that the revised fees are both excessive for citizens and unfeasible, demanding adjustments.

In response, mukhtars have staged protests in several regions and have engaged with the Minister of Interior to voice their concerns, even threatening to cease their services.

Despite the potential for the new fee structure to be applied following the acquisition of the necessary stamps, citizens are likely to bear the brunt of these changes.

Ideally, fees and taxes ought to align with fluctuations in the exchange rate. Yet, the reality is that many Lebanese, including those working in the public sector and the military, continue to be paid in Lebanese pounds, making the cost of these essential transactions increasingly burdensome for them.