Souhaid calls banks to account for commissions under Salameh

Banque du Liban (BDL, central bank) Governor Karim Souhaid is increasingly signaling his intention to examine matters that date back to the era of his predecessor, Riad Salameh. First, he recently initiated legal action against Salameh and Bank Audi’s former chair of the board, Samir Hanna, who resigned shortly afterward, in a case related to the 2010 acquisition of bank shares by the Mikati family. And now, he is focusing on another matter: the commissions on transactions conducted with commercial banks involving public debt and financial instruments issued by BDL.In a letter dated Jan. 21 addressed to lawyer Elie Chamoun, representing the Association of Banks in Lebanon (ABL), Souhaid asked ABL to coordinate with its members to submit, within 15 days, details on commissions linked to the treasury management and financing activities...