Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati meets with caretaker Displaced Persons Minister Issam Sharafeddine in the Grand Serail on Sept. 13, 2024. (Credit: Mikati's office)
BEIRUT — Caretaker Displaced Persons Minister Issam Sharafeddine discussed the demands of depositors with caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati at the Grand Serail on Friday, according to a press release published by Mikati's office.
Depositors have been denouncing the restrictions imposed by local banks on withdrawals and transfers since the start of the economic crisis in 2019.
Following the meeting, Sharafeddine, accompanied by a delegation representing depositors' associations, said that the depositors' "urgent and pressing demands are implementable."
According to Sharafeddine, the delegation asked to include several items in the agenda of the next cabinet session, including raising the ceiling of monthly withdrawals to one thousand dollars, which is applicable if a modest amount from the mandatory reserve is deducted. Other demands include "a student check, a check for hospitalization and medical care and one for taxes and fees."
The minister stressed that there are sick and hungry depositors and others who want to educate their children.
Finally, he said that the "atmosphere is positive" and that Mikati will prioritize it on the agenda of the cabinet session.
Sharafeddine has been accompanying the protests of the depositors' group lately.