Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil said Wednesday he told President Michel Aoun to hold dialogue regardless of the number of boycotters, adding that dialogue is the “way to salvation”.

Bassil said after meeting Aoun in Baabda that “it is not true that there are two camps in Lebanon, at least the FPM doesn’t belong to any camp.”

Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh has said that banks are now allowed to unlimitedly buy U.S. dollars from the central bank in Lebanese pounds at the price specified by the Sayrafa platform.

“In addition to the monthly quota that the banks are withdrawing in USD, the banks now have the right to buy dollar banknotes from the BDL with the LBP currency that they and their customers possess, without a ceiling,” Salameh said.

Austria's foreign minister said Wednesday that the European Union wants to help Lebanon escape its economic meltdown, but only if the country's leaders clean up Beirut's affairs.

Alexander Schallenberg told reporters after meeting his Lebanese counterpart in Beirut that Lebanon should reach a deal with the International Monetary Fund, move forward with the investigation into the August 2020 port blast and restructure the hard-hit banking sector.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati hasn’t contacted the Shiite Duo to see whether they would attend a Cabinet session dedicated to discussing the 2022 draft state budget, Shiite Duo sources said.

The sources told al-Joumhouriya newspaper, in remarks published Wednesday, that neither Miqati nor any other party has contacted the Shiite Duo concerning their stand on a Cabinet session that Miqati said he will call.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati stated Wednesday that “it's not true that we've interfered in the work of the judiciary.”

Miqati, from the Grand Serail, said “we haven’t interfered in any decision taken by the judiciary, we have emphasized abiding by the rules in judicial matters and preserving institutions over defending individuals.”

Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblat said he would not attend the national dialogue, proposed by President Michel Aoun.

Jumblat told al-Joumhouria newspaper, in remarks published Wednesday, that he had made up his mind since the beginning, adding that the dialogue is “useless.”

President Michel Aoun likely won’t call for a national dialogue, since many announced they won’t attend it, informed sources said.

Sources close to the Presidency told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper, in remarks published Wednesday, that Aoun will make a final decision after finishing his meetings with political leaders.

Mount Lebanon Attorney General Judge Ghada Aoun on Tuesday ordered General Security to impose a travel ban on Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh in connection with a lawsuit filed against him by activists.

A leaked copy of Aoun’s order says Salameh should be barred from traveling through all land, sea and air ports of entry due to “judicial requirements in light of the important clues and evidence in the preliminary investigation file, especially the lawsuit filed by the lawyers of the legal department of the People Want the Reform of the Regime group.”

French Ambassador to Lebanon Anne Grillo on Tuesday met with President Michel Aoun and discussed with him means through which France can help Lebanon amid the crisis it is going through, Lebanon’s National News Agency said.

The Ministry of Economy will issue today, Tuesday, a new price for the bread bundle, Economy Minister Amin Salam said.

"There is neither a bread crisis nor a flour crisis," according to Salam, who told al-Jadeed TV that the new price will be "fair" and the dollar differences will be taken into account.