Aoun, Berri Deny Role in Decision to Freeze Assets of 20 Lebanese Banks

Arab World

March 7th, 9:02am

Beirut - Asharq Al-Awsat

A protest against increasingly difficult living conditions in Beirut, Lebanon on September 29, 2019 [Hussam Chbaro/Anadolu Agency]

Lebanese President Michel Aoun and Speaker Nabih Berri denied on Friday having a role in the Financial Prosecutor’s decision to freeze the assets of 20 Lebanese banks, their top bosses and board members. Media reports have accused both Aoun and Berri of standing behind the decision, which involved some of Lebanon’s biggest banks, including Blom, Audi, Byblos, Bank of Beirut, and SGBL (Societe Generale De Banque Au Liban SAL). The president’s press office rebuked in a statement “the false information published by An-Nahar, and Nidaa Al-Watan newspapers about Aoun’s role” regarding the action taken by the Financial Prosecutor, Judge Ali Ibrahim. “We are concerned to clarify that Aoun, based on his constitutional responsibilities … observes the implementation of laws and prevents any imbalance in their application and in all that could have negative repercussions on the security, economic and financial stability in the country,” the office added. It called once again on media outlets to avoid publishing false and fabricated news. Deputy Hani Qubaisi, a member of the Amal Movement, which is headed by Berri, said on Friday that the speaker "would not have reversed it, had he been behind the decision to freeze the bank assets." The Financial Prosecutor decided on Thursday to freeze the assets of the 20 banks but State Prosecutor Ghassan Oueidat later suspended the order. Oueidat warned that Ibrahim’s move could cause chaos within the financial sector and plunge the country into more uncertainty.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2167491/aoun-berri-deny-role-decision-freeze-assets-20-lebanese-banks