Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, has warned that by the end of August, Lebanon will be unable to secure medication or pay salaries in foreign currency if the monetary and economic plan proposed by the Acting Governor of the Bank of Lebanon, Wissam Mansouri, is not approved.
In a statement on his website, Mikati indicated that Mansouri’s plan aligns with the government’s strategies, and it is their aim to enact these plans promptly in order to save the country.
Mikati also mentioned that he had been in contact with the Bank of Lebanon’s governor, Wissam Mansouri, and that there was an alignment with the government’s plans.
He stated that Mansouri, along with his deputies, had proposed a comprehensive monetary and economic plan and requested its approval by the parliament. This plan, according to Mikati, aligns with the government’s strategies. “Our aim is to enact these plans, and we must not waste time as our goal is to save the country,” Mikati added.
He further declared, “By the end of this month, we won’t be able to secure medicine or salaries in foreign currency, nor can we perform the necessary work for monetary stability. This matter does not concern the government alone, but rather the parliament and all Lebanese. We must work as a single workshop to save the country.”
He went on to say, “The government cannot issue a law, but it can request the parliament to seriously pursue the acceptance and approval of a proposed law as soon as possible.”
The Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, suggested that a law proposal be submitted by the deputies in the parliament, allowing the government to borrow in foreign currencies from the Bank of Lebanon. He clarified that the government had already distributed a draft law in this regard, but the discussion might take time while the Central Bank of Lebanon needs a faster pace on this matter. It would be preferable if the law were proposed by the parliament.
In conclusion, the Prime Minister said, “The issues that unite us are much more than what separates us, and all the topics proposed are of concern to all Lebanese without exception.”
