Banking crisis continues, Judge Ghada Aoun still prosecuting

However, the talk about efforts for a solution between the banks and the judiciary has been repeated multiple times. Still, the Public Prosecutor of Cassation, Judge Ghassan Oweidat, confirmed that he is not in the process of intervening at all in this file. 

Banking sources also indicated they do not see the seriousness of PM Mikati's endeavors. The evidence is that Judge Ghada Aoun continues her move against some banks.

Banking sources said that there is no tendency to lift the strike as long as Judge Aoun continues to prosecute banks for the crime of money laundering, indicating that banks want to refrain from interfering in Judge Aoun's work. Still, they want the legal articles applied according to the texts.

Banking sources add that if the banks should be prosecuted for any crime, it should be for concealing information, whose penalty in the event of conviction is the same as money laundering. In this case, the banks would avoid the boycott of correspondent banks and defend themselves simultaneously.

Banking sources were surprised by what the Governor of the Banque du Liban reported that the banks' strike hinders taking measures through a banking platform to limit the rise in the dollar's exchange rate. 

The sources said that BDL had stopped the Sayrafa platform for companies and the private sector before the banks' strike, adding that the evidence for this is the Lebanese people's money in LBP that they used to buy dollars on the Sayrafa platform, which is still stuck with the central bank not deciding on its fate.

Therefore, the sources added that there is no need to use the bank strike as an excuse to evade responsibility for measures to deal with the exchange rate.