MP Gemayel urges immediate release of forensic audit report amid dispute with Finance Minister

Kataeb Party leader, MP Sami Gemayel, rejected Finance Minister Youssef Khalil's allegation of withholding a copy of the forensic financial audit report based on the confidentiality clause in the contract signed with Alvarez & Marsal. This came in response to a letter sent by Gemayel on June 22.

Gemayel responded to the Finance Minister, refuting the provisions and laws that disprove the claims made by the Finance Minister, and demanded the immediate release of the report, allowing the Parliament to fulfill its supervisory role.

Gemayel's response stated, "Article 5 of Law No. 233/2021 clearly and explicitly states that confidentiality clauses in contracts conducted by the administration shall not hinder the right to access them. Therefore, we reject the Finance Minister's reliance on the confidentiality clause included in the contract signed with Alvarez & Marsal and demand the immediate release of the preliminary report of the forensic audit of the accounts of the Central Bank of Lebanon and its submission to the Parliament for review and discussion."

Gemayel emphasized that forensic audit results are essential for enhancing transparency, determining the magnitude of financial losses, and establishing the necessary financial, economic, and monetary laws and policies to restructure the banking sector, restore financial balance, and revive the Lebanese economy.

Furthermore, it is a fundamental requirement for donor countries as a positive indicator of Lebanon's initiation of the necessary reforms to receive the required financial support and one of the conditions imposed on the Lebanese government to sign the final agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The concerned minister or any other official cannot rely on any condition in the contract to prevent representatives of the Lebanese people from accessing this report, which serves as the primary tool for parliamentarians to carry out their legislative and oversight duties and to hold accountability for financial and monetary policies based on accurate and specific figures and data.