The office of Deputy Prime Minister Saadeh Al-Shami issued a statement saying: "What is Deputy Ibrahim Kanaan talking about? Note that I did not mention him by name in my brief statement, which was solely aimed at drawing attention to the necessity of discussing reform bills and prioritizing them due to the gravity of the economic and financial situation in Lebanon. Mr. Kanaan reacted emotionally, as clearly shown in his statement both in form and content, where he deviated from the topic to remind us of his accomplishments over the years, crafting them artistically. These are achievements whose results are not hidden from anyone! I will not detail the fallacies in his statement because they are numerous; rather, I will suffice for the last time with the following:
First, I do not need lessons in the principles of communication and respecting others. Those who are keen on these principles should at least set an example, rather than show their concern through personal attacks and the manner in which they crafted their response. He criticized me for addressing him through the media, forgetting or neglecting that he is the one who directs criticisms through the media he resorts to at every opportunity, regardless of its importance, to fire his ballistic arrows left and right, the last of which was just days ago, necessitating a response. Here I must acknowledge Mr. Kanaan's media talent.
Second, Deputy Kanaan criticizes his colleagues for proposing two laws; what is wrong with that? Isn’t legislation the reason for a deputy’s existence? When Mr. Kanaan talked about waiting four years for the arrival of reform bills, did he forget that our government has not been here for four years, while he has certainly been around for many years and, thanks to him and others, depositors have suffered additional losses, even as he now claims to protect them. It’s as if Kanaan is questioning Kanaan!
Third, Mr. Kanaan determines the priorities for discussing projects and proposals based on the date they arrived at the Parliament. Is this the correct basis for approving public policies in favor of the citizens? Does Mr. Kanaan mean that if someone submits a bill to the Parliament regarding a serious and urgent matter in the life and future of the country, they should wait because there are other laws that arrived earlier, even if they do not share the same level of urgency? No one denies the impact of the sovereign fund on the economy, but it is natural to question the urgency and immediacy that characterizes any given project compared to others.
Fourth, if the law proposed by the government is merely symbolic (and I never claimed that the bills presented are complete, as I made clear to Mr. Kanaan), why was it not discussed and improved, or better yet, why didn’t Deputy Kanaan propose a more serious law to save the country? I would be among his first supporters!
Finally, talk of lightness in dealing is directed back at its originators, as the lightness lies in not addressing vital issues with the required seriousness. History will judge those who are serious in their work, honest in their words, and steadfast in their principled positions for the benefit of all, but it will not show mercy to those who take lightly the fate of the country for personal agendas."
Kanaan responded to Al-Shami through a statement from his media office stating: "The Finance and Budget Committee does not possess the obvious legal and material information required to decide on the bill for recovering deposits, regardless of the substantial observations that its members have regarding the classification of deposits between eligible and ineligible, and the lack of clarity on how to fund the deposit fund. Additionally, the committee has not received a new proposal for the law to restructure banks, which is being negotiated with the IMF, and that requires classifying banks into those that can continue and those that cannot, which can only be determined through auditing their obligations and assets.”
He added: "What is the Deputy Prime Minister talking about? Is it acceptable for a government official in this position to make such remarks without respect or even knowledge of the protocols and facts, neither in form nor in content?" He continued: "We point out that the government’s delay in auditing the assets of banks and the state has cost depositors $100 billion to date, while the approval of the sovereign fund law has not cost anything; rather, it has formed a reformative model and a real hope for Lebanon, knowing that, contrary to Mr. Al-Shami's conclusions, contracts for the sale of natural gas, unlike oil, are made upon discovery and prior to extraction and for long terms."
