[ad_1]
Clear: “We are interested that the Lebanese continue to be able to buy medicine, fuel and food at the official price in dollars of 1,500 pounds. “
Salameh noted that “from one year to today, I withdrew $ 30 billion of deposits from Lebanese banks, $ 20 billion of which was used to cover debts, and the debt portfolio in the banking sector decreased significantly. It was 55 billion and today it has become 35 billion, and another part was used to buy real estate and another part was taken “. cash”.
He said: “The Bank of Lebanon has liquidity available in banks abroad worth 17 billion and 800 million dollars, except for gold, which is valued at 18 billion dollars, which means that the Central Bank has 36 billion dollars altogether. “
The Governor of the Banque du Liban also stressed that the Lebanese government is the one who must decide how to direct imports, which must be a local need, adding: “There must be certain approaches so that we can continue and we have more than two billion dollars. that can be used. “
In response to a question, Salameh said: “The figures indicate that in the period from the beginning of 2017 to the end of September, we returned all the dollars we took from the banking sector and gave them an additional $ 13 billion. This debt is in Lebanese pounds …
He continued: “The depositors’ money is not in the Central Bank and the importation that took place in 2017, 2018 and 2019, which amounted to more than $ 65 billion, in addition to the deficit accumulated during these years in the state budget was a A pressure factor that led to a reduction in dollar liquidity in the banking sector. Bank funds financed imports. ” .
Salameh also emphasized that with the criminal audit, he said, “we have turned over all the accounts of the Banque du Liban to the Ministry of Finance, which has turned over to the forensic auditing companies, and we will turn over the state accounts after receiving a written request from the Minister of Finance and after the recommendation of the House of Representatives. “
He denied reports that Banque du Liban covered Hezbollah’s money laundering operations, adding that these reports were inaccurate.
[ad_2]
