Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati meets with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri. (Credit: Dalati and Nohra)
BEIRUT — Cabinet should meet to appoint a new Banque du Liban governor, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri told caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati during a meeting on Tuesday, according to the state-run National News Agency (NNA).
Current BDL Governor Riad Salameh’s term ends this month with no successor in place. However, Lebanon has also lacked a head of state since Michel Aoun left office on Oct. 31, which makes certain top-level government appointments complicated.
Meanwhile, BDL's four deputy governors have been urging the government to appoint a new central bank head before the end of Salameh’s term.
In case of vacancy, the first deputy governor Wassim Mansouri would replace Salameh, according to the Monetary and Credit Law. The deputy governors have threatened to resign if a successor is not duly appointed.
Though his term is set to end, Salameh is currently under investigation in Lebanon and Europe for alleged corruption and other charges.