Khalil Says Financial Controversy 'Not Based on Facts', Refers Accounts to Audit Court

Finance Minister Ali Hassan Khalil announced Tuesday that the latest controversy over financial corruption is “not based on facts,” as he sent auditing reports and final accounts for the period between 1993 and 2017 to the Court of Audit.

“A debate has taken place over the state's public accounts and the discussion was not based on accurate and real facts,” Khalil said at a press conference.

“I announce that we have referred the account statements for the period between 1993 and 2017 to the Court of Audit for further measures according to norms, along with the relevant documents. We have also referred final accounts for the aforementioned years to the Court of Audit and the Council of Ministers' general-secretariat,” Khalil added.

Responding to a question about “lost funds,” the minister said: “If I speak and issue a verdict, inspection authorities will no longer have a role to play, but with the reevaluation of accounts, it turned out that there are gaps regarding the previous years and they have been addressed and the transfers of funds have been clarified in detail without any concealment.”

“There are no missing accounts but rather financial accounts detailed in reports and the Court of Audit and Parliament will take the appropriate stance on them,” Khalil added.

And stressing that no one will enjoy immunity should there be any wrongdoing, the minister emphasized that Speaker Nabih Berri has not asked him to take any specific measure.

“The Finance Ministry is committed to its duties and it will carry on with the file until the end without engaging in the political debate,” Khalil went on to say.

On Friday, ex-PM Fouad Saniora described the issue of the “missing” $11 billion as a “farce,” as he announced that those “setting up mini-states inside the state” are the real corrupts, in an apparent jab at Hizbullah.

At a press conference he held to respond to remarks by MP Hassan Fadlallah, Saniora added that the 11 billion dollars in question were spent on interest hikes, treasury loans for Electricite Du Liban, and wage hikes and recruitment expenses for the armed forces.