Qatar’s regime cuts salaries

Shaimaa Yehia

On the back of Qatar’s economic turmoil resulting from the spread of COVIS-19 pandemic, the Doha regime has imposed extra taxes to levy money from the citizens.

The Qatari regime has imposed taxes reaching 25 percent. The Qatari opposition website QatariLeaks said in a report on May 6 quoted a high-level official as saying that the government would impose taxes on citizens to fix its cash crisis.

QatariLeaks said a five percent tax would be imposed on basic food commodities, mobile phones and their accessories.

Taxes will be imposed on petroleum products, in addition to increasing deductions from salaries and wage cuts by 25 percent until the coronavirus pandemic ends.

In March, Hamad Medical Foundation added a sum of 500 riyals for individuals who are infected with COVID-19. The decree took effect as of March 17. The decree applied to a number of other hospitals as of April 17.

Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund is seeking $ 7.6 billion loan to boost the country’s cash reserves on the back of declining energy prices because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bloomberg reported that Qatar Investment Authority plans to get $7 billion to boost its cash reserves.

Foreign exchange deficit stood at 45.3 percent, a report issued on March 23 said. Although the Arab Gulf country is rich in oil and gas, with a low population, Qatar is suffering from economic turmoil due to the regime’s wrong policies and the supporting of the terrorist organizations financially and logistically.

In April, Qatar’s emir Tamim bin Hamad asked the government to postpone contracts for projects worth $8.2 billion after the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. A government document said the coronavirus might have a negative impact on the Qatari economy and cause recession.