French magistrates will formally charge Lebanon’s Salameh

A French magistrate plan to formally charge Lebanon’s central bank governor with financial crimes, Reuters reports. Aude Buresi plans to formally place criminal charges against Riad Salameh at a hearing in Paris on May 16, Reuters reported on April 21.  A separate report on May 5 by newspaper Al-Akhbar said the Paris hearing had been postponed until May 23. Al-Akhbar said the hearing’s date was changed after Lebanese authorities entered into the case and requested copies of the files.

Mikati won’t name Salameh’s replacemnet

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati has asked ministers about what can be done in the the looming vacuum in the central bank governor post in light of the ongoing presidential void, a media report said.

He raised the question in Monday’s consultative ministerial meeting at the Grand Serail, which was attended by all of the government’s components including those of the Free Patriotic Movement.

“What should we do if the time for the departure of Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh from his post nears? I stress that he will not stay in his post at all and that I will not name anyone to replace him,” Mikati told the ministers, according to the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper.

Lebanese authorities have charged Salameh with embezzlement, money laundering and tax evasion as part of their own investigation.

The domestic probe was opened following a request for assistance from Switzerland’s public prosecutor looking into more than $300 million in fund movements by the Salameh brothers.

Salameh, whose mandate is due to end in July, is part of the Lebanese political class widely blamed for a crushing economic crisis that began in late 2019 and which the World Bank has dubbed one of the worst in recent history.

According to media reports The Central Bank VP will take over after Salameh ‘s term ends

According to media reports , Salameh plans to move to Sharjah , UAE after his term expires

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