Bassil Warns against Haircut, State Assets Sale, Urges Funds Recovery

W460

Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil on Monday noted that the country can overcome its financial deficit without “touching bank deposits or selling the state's assets.”

“We are confident that Lebanon can overcome the huge financial deficit without touching bank deposits or selling the state's assets,” Bassil said after a meeting for the Strong Lebanon parliamentary bloc.

“We won't accept any salvation solution that doesn't begin with the recovery of granted, stolen and overseas transferred funds,” Bassil stressed.

Pointing out that the economic and financial policies of the past 30 years “have led us into a collapse,” the FPM chief said there is “a preemptive attack to prevent change and protect the corrupts.”

“These are the signs of the coming battle that they are threatening the Lebanese with instead of closing ranks for salvation,” Bassil added, referring to political rivals.

Calling on the government to “lay out its rescue plan as soon as possible,” Bassil said Lebanon should not move from “financial engineering” operations to “real estate engineering” tactics.

“If the state has erred, it has erred through individuals who bear the responsibility, and the solution lies in holding them accountable and not in selling the state's properties,” he added.

“We have determined that $3.7 billion were withdrawn from the banking system in January and February 2020 of the category of deposits that exceed $1 million and a large part of them was sent abroad,” Bassil went on to say, revealing that his bloc will also file a lawsuit over “the funds that were smuggled around the October 17 period.”

He added: “We have called for approving a capital control law, starting by the issue of smuggled funds, and today we reiterate our call. If it does not get passed in Cabinet and parliament in a consensual way, we will submit it as a draft law.”

And hoping that seven urgent bills submitted by the bloc will be approved in Tuesday's legislative session, Bassil warned that “the priority today is not for a general amnesty law.”

“The issue of prison overcrowding should be resolved through special pardons or a very limited general amnesty,” he suggested.

SourceNaharnet
Comments 13
Thumb EagleDawn 20 April 2020, 19:00

libanaisresilient
"You're the man!!! Keep it up"

Thumb EagleDawn 20 April 2020, 19:01

constantine 7 hours ago
The voice of justice.

Thumb EagleDawn 20 April 2020, 19:01

"constantine 12 minutes ago
Allah yi7meek President Bassil"

Thumb EagleDawn 20 April 2020, 19:01

"constantine 1 hour ago
Without the FPM at the helm there would be no Lebanon.
Lebanon would be a province of ISIS reporting to Riadh.
The reason why Minister Bassil is being subjected to harsh criticism by thieves and traitors to stop him from taking their riches and beating them in the national treasury."

Thumb EagleDawn 20 April 2020, 19:02

"libanaisresilient 4 hours ago
Long live Bassil the future President of Lebanese republic!"

Thumb EagleDawn 20 April 2020, 19:02

"the_roar:
Ladies and Gentlemen: Today you have just listened to the future president of Lebanon. Learn people, learn!"

Thumb galaxy 20 April 2020, 19:03

He needs a throatcut

Thumb ex-fpm 20 April 2020, 19:06

1 hour ago Bassil: The economic and financial policies of the past 30 years have led us into a collapse

What a demagogue! You have been part of the ruling mafia for the past 15 years!

Thumb marcus 20 April 2020, 20:34

“We are confident that Lebanon can overcome the huge financial deficit without touching bank deposits or selling the state's assets,” Bassil said

Would this pos tell us how?

Missing samiam 20 April 2020, 21:36

Look at these fine mps---all they demand is things they don't want, not things that MUST be done. Honestly, no one has come up with a solution except the 'recover looted funds' which won't happen since the looters are the elected officials themselves.

Sort of a self serving statement by him and others.

Thumb gma-bs-artist. 20 April 2020, 23:03

It's not the 30 years it's 32 years. Those include this midget's father in law's embezzling million$ while in charge and stealing the million$ in the salaries of the soldiers he deserted. Those million$ sat in Swiss and French banks, for 15 years, collecting interest while the deserter lived in France on the French tax payer's dime. The Syrian controlled regime closed the books and forgot the embezzling and those million$ after the turncoat made a deal from France, to return as the Syrian regime and their allies best asset.

Thumb thepatriot 21 April 2020, 14:15

Our politicians really are all scum... but this is the worst of them all.

Missing rabiosa 21 April 2020, 17:43

You all missed it. They keywords he said... "without selling the state's assets.” This has been the FPM, PSP, AMAL, HISBOZs golden egg so to speak. The state assets is where they suck the country dry amongst themselves and their cronies. No wonder non of them want to sell state assets. It's the only salvation for this country to rid itself of corruption and plundering the treasury. Without these state assets chief amongst them, EDL, Telecom, MEA, etc.. that are cash cows to the treasury they can't steal, hence their hard refusal to sell them.