President Michel Aoun’s recent criticism of Banque du Liban’s delay in launching a forensic audit has sparked political controversy.
In a televised speech on Wednesday evening, Aoun said that the political parties “provided cover to the Central Bank, private banks and the Ministry of Finance,” pointing to “the responsibility of all governments, departments, ministries, councils and agencies for every penny wasted over the years.”
“All of them must be included in the forensic audit,” he stated.
“The issue of forensic auditing is at the forefront of the priorities for the reform of the financial and economic situation. It is a battle that deserves and requires the support of all the forces,” Hezbollah MP Ibrahim Mousawi stated.
“Banque du Liban has the duty to abide by the law issued for this purpose,” he added.
For his part, the head of the Lebanese Forces, Samir Geagea, said that forensic audit was “not a slogan that is occasionally brought up, nor a means to attack a political opponent, but rather a sacred act aimed at reform.”
Referring implicitly to Aoun, Geagea asked: “Why haven’t you supported the idea of forensic auditing since the beginning of this tenure despite the majority that you have in the cabinet or in the parliament?"
The political parties believe the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) is holding onto the forensic audit in “an attempt to target its political opponents and conceal its responsibility for the crisis.”
Deputy leader of Al-Mustaqbal Movement, Mustafa Alloush, emphasized that a forensic audit needed “a government that would be able to take over the task.”
A member of the Development and Liberation bloc, MP Ali Bazzi, noted that Speaker Nabih Berri wanted a complete and comprehensive audit, in line with the law approved by the parliament, starting with the Central Bank.
“We have carried out our legislative duties and now we must see the implementation of the law,” he said, referring to a bill passed by the parliament in December to lift banking secrecy on the accounts of officials for a year, and to expand the request for forensic audit in all state institutions, ministries and departments.
