The union will resume work Monday through Friday and hold a general meeting to decide whether to continue the strike if Judge Ghada Aoun insists on upholding the cases against the banks suspected of money laundering.
The decision to suspend the strike comes in line with the leader’s call to secure public sector wages and give more time to political and judicial efforts to deal with the crisis.
Both Mikati and the Bankers Association stressed that they do not interfere in the work of the judiciary; Meanwhile, the Supreme Council of the Judiciary reaffirmed its commitment to ensure the conditions for the normal functioning of legality in the country.
According to local media, Lebanon’s banking sector is at the forefront of the nation’s collapse, with many lending institutions accused of engaging in corrupt practices such as money laundering and embezzlement.
2019 saw protests across the Levantine nation over mismanagement of public funds and perceived corruption by the political and financial elite, experts denounced.
Judge Ghada Aoun is currently leading a crackdown on the performance of Lebanese banks and recently accused several officials of corruption who were questioned for exceeding their authority.
In the face of such measures, the Bankers Association launched a work stoppage a few weeks ago, which has provoked protests from depositors and inconsistencies in the judiciary.
According to economists, for almost three years the country’s banks have imposed restrictions on citizens’ money in foreign currencies, particularly US dollars, and imposed strict limits on withdrawing their funds in Lebanese pounds.
In the general perception of residents, the Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon, Riyadh Salameh, appears to be one of the main culprits for the country sinking into its worst situation in modern times.
At present, the pound has already crossed the 80,000 per dollar exchange rate in the parallel market, and prices for basic necessities have risen to emphasize the economic, financial and social difficulties of the people of Lebanon.
mem/yma