in what seems to Bank raids will continue in Lebanon With banks so far refusing to give depositors their money, the past hours have recorded the strangest of these accidents ever.
For the first time, a diplomat staged a peaceful sit-in inside a bank in the Hazmieh area, near Beirut, for long hours yesterday, Tuesday, before reaching a settlement with the bank, which promised to implement its demand, which is to raise the ceiling of withdrawals available to it per month from $500. American to a.
‘It’s our money’
Meanwhile, the Honorary Consul of Ireland in Lebanon, George Siam, confirmed in televised statements after his exit from the Intercontinental Bank that the latter pledged to him to continue giving him this amount on a monthly basis.
In turn, Golda, Siam’s wife, who was a former ambassador of Lebanon to Qatar, Turkey and Brazil, said in a statement to CNN, “It’s our money, but we are begging for it!!” Adding that her husband was defenseless and peaceful.
It is noteworthy that this sit-in was among 4 raids witnessed by banks in different regions of the country yesterday.
Crisis among the worst in the world
Since the fall of 2019, Lebanese banks have imposed strict restrictions on deposit withdrawals, which have increased little by little, until it has become almost impossible for depositors to dispose of their money, especially those deposited in US dollars, or transfer it abroad.
While the waiting halls in banks have witnessed since the start of the financial crisis recurring problems between angry citizens wanting to get their deposits and employees who are committed to the instructions of their administrations.
The economic crisis that Lebanon is witnessing is considered the worst in its history, especially since more than eighty percent of the population is below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate has touched about thirty percent.
While the lira lost about 95 percent of its value, due to the crisis that the World Bank has classified among the worst in the world since 1850.