Lebanon’s banks threaten a comprehensive strike

Lebanese bank officials hope that their threat of a comprehensive strike next week will prompt pressure to gain the attention of the caretaker government and its president, Najib Mikati, and to fulfill the unannounced promises he made to them during his meeting with a delegation from the Board of Directors of the Association of Banks, by seeking with the judicial authorities to establish a flexible formula that takes into account the exceptional circumstances. The list, which does not tolerate, as the banks say, any “excess or arbitrariness” in deciding the lawsuits filed by some depositors against the banks that are holding their money, and pending the House of Representatives passing a law establishing special controls on withdrawals and transfers (Capital Control), which will become the legal basis for these complaints. .

According to the assurances of a senior banking official, who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat, and assuming that there is no progress in translating government promises, the return of the banks from the comprehensive strike decision will harm their position as the nucleus of the financial sector and their domestic and foreign reputation, which will push them to a greater escalation that may affect the suspension of operation. Automated teller machines.

In addition, the invitation made by the Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, Nabih Berri, to the Parliament’s Bureau to meet tomorrow, Monday, to agree on an agenda for a legislative session, drew criticism from the opposition forces, led by the “Forces” and “Kataeb” parties and a number of independent representatives. Yesterday, they issued a statement announcing a boycott of the legislative sessions, in light of the presidential vacuum, “because it violates the constitution.”

The debate raged between the “Forces” party and the “Free Patriotic Movement”, which may participate in the session that will approve the law to control withdrawals and bank transfers (Capital Control), and extend the mandate of the Director General of Public Security, Major General Abbas Ibrahim.
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