The "Electronic Anbaa" pointed out that the dollar soared above the fifty-thousand lira threshold, ahead of any expected measures that the Central Bank of Lebanon might take following its board meeting. Actual solutions seem absent, as if there was nothing to be done amidst the political chaos and the ongoing stagnation. The Progressive Socialist Party interrupted this stagnation yesterday with various statements and actions, starting with a warning issued by the party regarding the dangerous situation in the education sector, which threatens to displace hundreds of thousands of Lebanese students alongside other Syrian refugees in the streets. This situation warns of a devastating social explosion that could strike all prospects for Lebanon's future. The party's parliamentary bloc also raised alerts during the parliamentary session about the ongoing dilly-dallying in electing a president, signaling a new stance. Additionally, a delegation from Hezbollah visited the party leader Walid Jumblatt last night to continue serious efforts to break through the deadlock regarding the presidency.
In the same context, "An-Nahar" wrote: Despite no surprising developments in the "Thursday of Absurdity," during the eleventh parliamentary session to elect a president, which was the first session of the new year, a new record in the collapse of the Lebanese lira was set. The financial collapse generally felt tremendously hard on the Lebanese, who are receiving blows from all directions. With the resumption of the election farce in monotonous chapters in the parliament, the exchange rate of the dollar against the lira surpassed fifty thousand lira for the first time, significantly driving up fuel prices and other consumer goods. This frightening shock, which caused panic (even though it was expected), was quickly followed by another shock as the Lebanese were deprived of using even a small portion of their deposits in Lebanese lira for purchasing from consumer stores. The Syndicate of Supermarket Owners in Lebanon issued a statement announcing that, following the Finance Minister's decision to pay half of the customs fees on imported goods in cash, they would stop accepting bank cards.
