Critical week ahead for Lebanon: Governor's term ends amidst political and financial uncertainty

Lebanon is set to face a week filled with significant events, commencing on Monday with the end of the tenure of the Banque du Liban (BDL) Governor, Riad Salameh.

Meanwhile, the four Governor's deputies are being closely watched for their stance, coinciding with a new session convened by the caretaker government to discuss the budget. This eventful week will also mark the seventy-eighth anniversary of the Lebanese Armed Forces and the third commemoration of the devastating Beirut port explosion.

This article was originally published in and translated by the Lebanese newspaper Nidaa Al-Watan.

However, these occasions are marred by delayed justice and elusive truth.

Financially, as Salameh prepares to leave his three-decade-long position as the Governor of the BDL, the "European Observatory for Integrity in Lebanon" expresses concern over the end of his term without any judgments issued against him by the Lebanese and European judiciaries.

The observatory fears the consequences of the First Deputy Governor not accepting to assume his duties before legislating to access the reserves, which are deposits used to finance the state.

Within this context, the "Lebanese Depositors' Union" predicts that the Parliament will approve the legislation to utilize the remaining deposits of account holders.

In another financial development, sources from the Finance Ministry reveal that the caretaker finance minister, Youssef Khalil, is preparing to implement a decree issued last week by the State Council judge, Carl Irani, requiring the ministry to hand over the preliminary criminal audit report prepared by Alvarez & Marsal to MP Sami Gemayel.

Lebanon anxiously awaits all these events while the presidential vacuum persists, awaiting the outcome of the French presidential envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian's mission, particularly the stances of parliamentary blocs on the proposals he presented during his recent visit to Beirut.

In this regard, the leader of the Lebanese Forces party, Samir Geagea, reiterates his rejection of a "new era for the axis of resistance," emphasizing the continuation of struggle and confrontation to bring a suitable president to Baabda Palace for the required parliamentary consultations and to form a new government capable of implementing the necessary reforms to restore Lebanon's prosperity.

On the other hand, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, suggests that "opening the door to serious and persistent bilateral dialogues, not time-wasting, may lead to a breakthrough in the stalemate concerning the presidential elections." He also called on the caretaker government to continue bearing responsibility within the constitutional limits allowed, asserting that "paralyzing the Parliament is not permissible regardless of the pretext or argument."

Furthermore, after the controversy triggered by Thursday's statement to the Security Council, Lebanon's acting permanent representative at the United Nations, Jean Murad, issued a clarifying statement, confirming that the use of the expression "completion of the southern land borders demarcation" was an unintended misrepresentation and not an official document submitted to the United Nations' records.

Meanwhile, the UNIFIL Force Commander, Major General Aroldo Lazaro, addresses the UN Security Council, discussing "the role played by UNIFIL in assisting the Lebanese Armed Forces in maintaining areas free of unauthorized individuals, assets, and weapons through coordinated operations." He highlights the existing challenge of UNIFIL's inability to access all crucial sites, especially unlicensed shooting ranges.