Central bank governor Riad Salameh. (Credit: AFP)
BEIRUT — The Strong Lebanon bloc, led by MP Gebran Bassil, criticized once again on Tuesday the governor of the Banque du Liban, Riad Salameh, calling on the government to “take the necessary steps towards him” if he “continues to abstain from or delay the submission” of information required by Alvarez & Marsal, the firm in charge of the forensic audit of the central bank.
Here’s what we know:
• In a statement, the parliamentary bloc said “the Alvarez & Marsal firm has not yet received all of the data required from the central bank, which still is not cooperating sufficiently with it.”
• “If the governor continues to abstain from or to delay the submission of information, the government is called upon to take the necessary measures with regard to him in view of the danger that this represents” adding that the forensic audit of the BDL's accounts is supposed to “reveal the truth about the fate of the Lebanese money and the causes of the financial collapse in the country,” the group adds.
• Moreover, the Aounist MPs criticized a BDL’s statement last week that alleged tech companies such as Facebook and Google bear responsibility for the Lebanese lira’s fluctuating exchange rate on the parallel market. The MPs said that by placing blame with such companies, Salameh is thus shirking his responsibilities of protecting the national currency, which is incumbent on BDL in accordance with the Currency and Credit Code.”
• Bassil has repeatedly called for Salameh’s dismissal, accusing the longtime central bank chief of being responsible for the economic and financial crisis in the country.
• Salameh’s financial dealings are presently being investigated in several European countries, including Switzerland, the United Kingdom and France.
• The FPM MPs also voiced their frustration with the present cabinet paralysis, saying “the government blockade is unacceptable, incomprehensible and unjustified.” The statement added, “the government seems to have resigned without having announced it.”
• Lebanon’s cabinet has not convened since Oct. 12 due to an unresolved dispute between government ministers over taking a stance on Judge Tarek Bitar’s leadership of the investigation into the 2020 Beirut port explosion.