Bou Saab: “We have confirmed info about transfer of money in past 2 months by influential people”

Lebanon Deputy Speaker Elias Bou Saab revealed in a speech during a joint parliamentary committees meeting to discuss the financial collapse that “in the past two months, it became clear that there are a large number of influential people in Lebanon who transferred their money abroad, including politicians and businessmen, and some of them are officers and judges, and this data is confirmed.”

Bou Saab’s revelation came on the day when hundreds of retired soldiers demanding a better pay tried to break through the fence leading to the Grand Serail in downtown Beirut. They clashed with riot police and troops and several people suffered breathing problems from the tear gas.

He added “Until now, no one knows who is responsible for manipulating the exchange rate, and there is no answer, even from the Central Bank of Lebanon.”

He pointed out that “the situation is no longer intolerable, we have to hold each other accountable,” and asked: “Why does the Governor of the Banque du Liban, Riad Salameh, not come to the House of Representatives? How does he go to the Serail and the Court, with whose protection?”

Bou Saab stressed, “We will not accept the write-off of depositors’ deposits, and we have seen a response from the IMF that can be built upon.” He asked: “Who has an answer as to why banks close their doors to citizens?”

He added , “We must return to the constitutional institutions at a minimum, and over the course of 11 sessions, we did not succeed in electing a president for the republic in a democratic way,” pointing out that “there is no way out of this crisis except through dialogue.”

Bou Saab did not reveal the names of the so called” influential people in Lebanon who transferred their money abroad”

His revelation is expected to cause outrage in Lebanon specially since banks have locked most depositors out of their savings since an economic crisis took hold three years ago, leaving much of the population unable to pay for basics.

One observer told Ya Libnan, “if Bou Saab does not reveal the information he has about these transfers, then he will be considered as ‘ party to the crime’