The journalist Hassan Olleik considered in an interview with Al-Manar TV channel that the term of the Central Bank Governor Riad Salemeh should not have been extended in 2017, adding that the private banks are involved in an aggression on the Lebanese people.
According to Olliek,in 2019, some private banks plundered $12 billion of the public funds, adding that Salemeh granted Bankmed (owned by caretaker PM Saad Hariri) hundreds of millions of dollars as a bribe.
Olleik urged the political parties who are not involved in any form of partnership with the banks to confront their aggression, calling the owners of some private banks as US spies.
In this context, Olleik revealed that one of the US officials said that Washington exchanges information with Salameh and Mohamad Baasiri (the deputy governor) who is promoted by the Americans, adding that they must be tried on the charge of communicating with a foreign state.
The plundered $12 billion were enough for Lebanon to build a railway as well as nuclear and power plants, pay unemployment compensations, and establish a medical insurance system, Olleik said.
Olleik also condemned the security forces’ assault on the protestors who demonstrated in condemnation of the banking sector’s policy, adding that those demonstrators defended the livelihood of all the Lebanese.
Olleik revealed that Hariri provoked Beirut locals against the protestors and the security forces fired gas bombs at them, revealing that General Director of the Internal Security Forces General Imad Othman contacted Hezbollah and Amal Movement officials to be assured of the political affiliation of the demonstrators.
“If Hezbollah and Amal Movement officials tell you that the protestors do not belong to them, this does not mean that you oppress them,” Othman addressed Olleik.
Source: Al-Manar English Website
