The Council of Ministers did not convene due to a lack of quorum, with only 7 ministers present at the Grand Serail, while ministers from "Hezbollah," "the Free Patriotic Movement," "the Marada Movement," and the "Lebanese Democratic Party" were absent. The session was scheduled to appoint a new governor for the Central Bank of Lebanon and to discuss the financial and monetary situations as the current governor's term is nearing its end. The ministers did not enter the hall, and instead, a consultative meeting was held in the office of caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati. A budget session is scheduled for Monday.
In a conversation with journalists, Mikati remarked, "I have not yet succeeded in dissuading the deputy governors from resigning," noting that "the situation is acceptable as everything in life is relative, and Riyad Salameh spoke realistically and has the right to defend himself. I do not fear large jumps in the dollar's value, and the monetary mass can be absorbed quickly."
Regarding the legislative session, Mikati indicated, "We are counting on everyone's awareness to assist the four deputy governors and to find a way for temporary financing or a temporary advance until things are stabilized," considering that "we are presented with a genuine opportunity to urge the political forces to elect a president, and we must restore the regular functioning of financial and monetary affairs in Lebanon naturally."
Following the cancellation of the session, Mikati issued a statement saying, "With the nearing end of the Central Bank governor’s term at the end of this month, I called for the Council of Ministers to convene today to discuss financial and monetary conditions. We were supposed to consult with the ministers on possible proposals to avoid a vacancy in the governorship; however, the absence of several ministers and the lack of the required quorum necessitated the cancellation of the session and a consultative meeting with the ministers who attended."
Mikati emphasized in the statement: "The delicate circumstances facing Lebanon and the seriousness of the financial and monetary situations require exceptional performance from the ministers and various political leaders involved to avoid further tensions, alleviate the widespread anxiety among all Lebanese, address urgent issues, and, most importantly, rise above political maneuvering and boasting about the stalemate which serves no Lebanese, regardless of their affiliation, and increases paralysis and disruption in institutions."
He stressed that "the government is not responsible for the vacancy in the presidency, nor for the resulting consequences, but it is striving during this caretaker phase to manage public affairs, maintain the functioning of official institutions, and meet citizens' demands," underlining the necessity for "the parliamentarians to take responsibility for electing a new president as soon as possible, so that the constitutional institutions can function properly again and to complete the reform steps initiated by our government."
The statement concluded: "Today we had an opportunity for a temporary solution to a file linked to the financial and monetary situations, and I regret that the political calculations of the concerned parties within the government take precedence over everything else; each party must bear the responsibility for its decision. I will continue to fulfill my constitutional and national duties and work diligently for the functioning of public institutions, especially the Central Bank of Lebanon, tirelessly."
The Presidency of the Council of Ministers also announced that a session of the council will convene at 4 PM next Monday at the Grand Serail to continue discussing the draft law for the general budget for the year 2023.
