The European judicial delegation's hearing with the Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon, Riad Salameh, concluded for the second consecutive day at the Beirut Courthouse. Reports indicated that after the governor left the courthouse, a meeting was held between Acting First Investigating Judge Charbel Abu Samra and the European judicial delegation. Salameh confirmed in a statement following the session that he informed European officials during the meeting that no public funds were transferred to Foory, the company owned by his brother, and that no funds from the central bank were deposited into his personal account. He emphasized during the session his reliance on "the evidence and documents that I had submitted to the judiciary in Lebanon and abroad with a detailed explanation."
In his issued statement, he clarified, "As shown by these disclosures, my personal account at the Central Bank of Lebanon is not linked to accounts that deposit funds belonging to the bank, and no funds from the Central Bank have been transferred to my account." Salameh added, "For more than two years, I have noticed malice and a thirst to accuse me, evident in a continuous media campaign adopted by some media outlets and civil gatherings, which have created a demand for submitting reports domestically and abroad to pressure the judiciary and circumvent it, resulting in civilians, journalists, and lawyers claiming to be judges, judging based on facts they fabricated."
He continued, "Some politicians accompanied them for populism, believing that this would protect them from suspicions and accusations or would help them mask their past or provide them with excuses for their failures in facing and solving the crisis, forgetting that nations are not built on lies." Reuters reported a senior judicial source stating, "A Lebanese judge questioned Salameh in two sessions on Thursday and Friday, conveying nearly 200 questions posed by French and German officials." The source informed Reuters that Friday's session was "good." Judge Helen Iskander represents the Lebanese state.
Judge Iskander, who attended both sessions, noted that European officials would now depart but want to return for the investigation sessions with Raja Salameh and assist Central Bank Governor Marian Hayek. She added in a conversation with Reuters that accusations were directed against the Salameh brothers and Hayek in a separate matter, and she wants Lebanon to recover any assets abroad seized in foreign investigations regarding Salameh. She stated, "These are serious accusations, and we must uphold the rights of the Lebanese state."
