Response from Mikati's Office to Ayoub: What You Call "Waste" is Due Debt

The media office of caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati responded to MP Ghada Ayoub, stating: "What her Excellency calls 'waste' is due debt owed by Lebanon under prior commitments, which has been paid in accordance with a clear decision issued by the government, ensuring that the World Bank continues to finance a number of essential projects in Lebanon." The office encouraged her to "verify what she announces, to avoid falling into the trap of baseless defamation and political campaigns with known objectives." MP Ghada Ayoub, a member of the Strong Republic Bloc, had written on the platform "X," commenting on what was stated in the European Observatory for Integrity in Lebanon regarding special drawing rights: "When the Central Bank halted financing the government, the latter wasted 49 million dollars in just 15 days during August." She added: "This is how depositors' funds and reserve requirements have been squandered over the years, with a clear collusion between the Central Bank and the government. This is evidence of the system's continued destructive approach if those responsible and perpetrators are not held accountable."