LF Says Adwan's Remarks 'Not an Accusation' Against Salameh
The Lebanese Forces party stressed on Thursday that remarks made by deputy chief MP George Adwan about BDL's possible tax evasion are not aimed at indicting its governor Riad Salameh but were mere questions that needed answers, the pan-Arab Asharq al-Awsat reported on Thursday.
“Adwan's remarks are not political nor personal, nor is it a charge against the bank's governor Riad Salameh whom we respect and have already agreed to renew his term,” LF sources told the daily.
They said the MP's remarks were mere “questions that the Lebanese Forces and others have a right for an answer,” they added.
“All we ask is that the fiscal policy and the economic vision, including that of Banque du Liban, are the responsibility of the government and not the ruler's responsibility,” concluded the sources.
On Tuesday, Adwan accused Banque du Liban of possible tax evasion, drawing a swift response from BDL Governor Riad Salameh.
“Controlling tax evasion can change the financial situation in Lebanon,” Adwan said during a parliamentary session on the 2017 state budget.
“It is shocking to know that the revenues from BDL are LBP 61 billion. We have treasury bonds worth LBP 27,000 billion and the bank is obliged to pay a billion dollars to the state treasury from its profits that result from treasury bonds,” Adwan added.
“Where is inspection and accountability? It is nonexistent because BDL has relations that are bigger than everyone. We are busy with taxes while BDL should pay $1 billion every year,” the MP went on to say.
Adwan called on Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil to put everyone in the picture of BDL's profits throughout the past 20 years through a detailed report.
Speaker Nabih Berri then asked Adwan to submit a request for the formation of a parliamentary panel of inquiry and the MP said that he would file a request within 48 hours.
Adwan's remarks prompted a swift reply from Salameh who told LBCI television that BDL has submitted yearly auditing reports to the Finance Ministry for the past 20 years.
“The bank's records are subject to auditing by two international firms that have nothing to do with BDL,” Salameh noted, stressing that the central bank has never refrained from paying its obligations to the state treasury.
Source: Naharnet
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