NNA - Finance and Budget Parliamentary Committee’s Head, MP Ibrahim Kanaan, on Monday highlighted the pressing need to complete the Lebanese Central Bank’s forensic audit. 

“The forensic audit should include all the bank's assets and be performed through its own channels or an international auditing company,” Kanaan said, underlining that this step should have been taken since 2019 — following the financial collapse.

After the committee's meeting to discuss the preliminary forensic audit report by the Alvarez & Marsal company, attended by the ministers of finance and justice, Acting Central Bank Governor, Wassim Mansouri, and other officials, Kanaan affirmed that the legal process in the forensic audit case will be followed up closely. 

Kanaan also underlined the paramount importance of continuing forensic and accountability audits within ministries and state administrations to pinpoint all responsibilities.

"We’ve sounded the alarm since 2010 through parliamentary oversight, which led to the discovery of $27 billion of undisclosed funds, the expenditure of which remains unclear. The Court of Audit has not yet issued a decision regarding them,” Kanaan said. 

Furthermore, the lawmaker revealed that sessions with the Central Bank and relevant ministries will be commenced next week to discuss reform laws associated with restoring financial balance, restructuring, and conducting an impartial audit of both bank and state accounts. 

===========R.H.