Lebanon dysfunction hits new peak on 48th anniversary of war
Judge Ghada Aoun has lifted a ban on Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh ahead of his summoning in Paris next month and the municipal elections are likely to canceled for the second year in a row.
BEIRUT — On the 48th anniversary of the Lebanese civil war Thursday, Beirut is paralyzed. Municipal elections planned for next month are now stalled, the presidential void is entering its sixth month and the judiciary has flip-flopped by lifting a travel ban on the head of the Central Bank, Riad Salameh.
The lifting of the travel ban came ahead of his scheduled hearing in Paris next month concerning a number of alleged money laundering and other financial crimes, The Associated Press reported on Thursday.
Judge Ghada Aoun had slapped Salameh with the travel ban in January 2022 amid an investigation into allegations of fraud, abuse of public funds and financial misconduct.
Salameh, who has been governor of the Central Bank for three decades, is also being probed by several European countries over his alleged embezzlement of some $330 million to purchase luxury properties in Europe.
