Maronite Patriarch Béchara Raï receives the acting Governor of the Banque du Liban, Wassim Mansouri. (Credit: NNA)
Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai received the acting governor of Banque du Liban (BDL), Wassim Mansouri, in Bkirki on Sunday, the state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported, without specifying the content of the exchange. The reported meeting comes as the country continues to contend with a now five-year-long financial crisis marked by ad hoc banking restrictions imposed on depositors and the collapse of the national currency.
Earlier Sunday, Rai once again devoted part of his Sunday sermon to the country's institutional crises, and more specifically, to the presidential vacancy that has lasted since Michel Aoun's term in office ended in October 2022."For us, there is no justifiable reason not to elect a president of the republic, to organize constitutional institutions, to preserve the constitution and put an end to its daily violations," the patriarch said, adding: "In the absence of the president of the republic, there is no constitution and no law, except for those who are unfortunately in power."
The government of Najib Mikati, which resigned after the May 2022 parliamentary elections and is serving in caretaker capacity, has been criticized for repeatedly exceeding its prerogatives, which are limited by the constitution. The parliament elected at the time has still not been able to agree on a new president.
According to statements relayed by several local media outlets, Rai also stressed that it was essential for Lebanon to have a president to "sit down at the negotiating table," particularly with Israel on issues such as the border dispute and the implementation of UN Resolution 1701, which aimed to resolve the 2006 Israeli-Lebanese conflict by calling for a complete cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.
Lebanon is suffering the consequences in the south of the country of the war in Gaza between the Hamas movement and Israel. This subject was also at the heart of the sermon delivered in Beirut's Cathedral of St. George by the Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Beirut Elias Audi, who affirmed that "peace is a common responsibility based on acceptance of and respect for others."
This article was originally published in French in L'Orient-Le Jour.
