Lebanese President Michel Aoun said on Saturday that a forensic audit of the central bank was vital to combat corruption and that he would put it back on track following the withdrawal of the consultancy hired to do the investigation.
Mr Aoun said "interest-driven roadblocks" had derailed the audit, which is an important condition for foreign donors to help Lebanon out of a deep financial crisis that has posed the biggest threat to its stability since its 1975-1990 civil war.
Among Lebanon's crises are growing poverty, a political vacuum, coronavirus and the fallout from a massive explosion at Beirut port in August that killed at least 200 people.
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Anti-government protesters shout slogans during a protest to denounce the naming of former premier Saad Hariri as a potential candidate as the country's new prime minister, in downtown Beirut, Lebanon. AP Photo -
Anti-government protesters shout slogans during a protest against former Prime Minister Saad Hariri in downtown Beirut. EPA -
Anti-government protesters shout slogans during a protest against former Prime Minister Saad Hariri in downtown Beirut. EPA -
Supporters of former Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri shout slogans against anti-government protesters during a protest against former Prime Minister Saad Hariri in downtown Beirut. EPA -
An anti-government protester holds an Arabic placard that reads: "Saad don't dream on it any more," during a protest to denounce the naming of former Prime minister Saad Hariri as a potential candidate as the country's new prime minister, in downtown Beirut. AP Photo -
Anti-government protesters carry a national flag during a protest against former Prime Minister Saad Hariri in downtown Beirut. EPA -
Members of the Lebanese security forces intervene after the ‘Revolution fist’, symbol of Lebanon’s October 2019 uprising, was set on fire during clashes between anti-government protesters and supporters of former prime minister Saad Hariri, in the capital Beirut's central Martyr's square. AFP -
The symbol of the October revolution is set on fire allegedly by supporters of former Prime Minister Saad Hariri at Martyr's square. EPA -
The ‘Revolution fist’, symbol of Lebanon’s October 2019 uprising, burns after it was set on fire during clashes between anti-government protesters and supporters of former prime minister Saad Hariri, in the capital Beirut's central Martyr's square. AFP -
A Lebanese man raises a national flag as the ‘Revolution fist’, symbol of Lebanon’s October 2019 uprising, burns after being torched during clashes between anti-government protesters and supporters of former prime minister Saad Hariri, in the capital Beirut's central Martyr's square. AFP
"Our reality today is not promising," Mr Aoun said in a televised speech to mark Independence Day, adding that Lebanon was a prisoner of corruption, political scheming and external dictations.
"If we want statehood, then we must fight corruption ... and this begins by imposing the forensic financial audit," he said, adding he would not "back off" on the issue.
The caretaker finance minister announced on Friday that the restructuring consultancy Alvarez & Marsal had pulled out of the audit because the central bank did not provide all the information required to carry out the task, citing bank secrecy.
Lebanon has not yet formed a new government since the last one was brought down by the blast. Saad Hariri, the Sunni prime minister-designate under a sectarian power-sharing agreement, is struggling to form a Cabinet amid turf wars.
France, the US and other donors have made clear there would be no bailout unless a credible government is formed to enact long-demanded reforms to tackle endemic waste, corruption and mismanagement.
Mr Aoun said unified criteria should be used to form a government, referring to what official sources say has been his insistence – along with his influential son-in-law, Gebran Bassil – on nominating Christian ministers.
The president also touched on US-mediated talks between long-time foes Lebanon and Israel to demarcate their sea border, saying he hoped they would bear fruit but that Lebanon would hold on to its "full sovereign borders".
