NNA - Finance Minister Yassine Jaber affirmed that "there is no intention to write off deposits. Rather, a structured mechanism will be put in place to gradually recover them, with priority given to small depositors."

He explained that "appointing a new governor for the Central Bank of Lebanon will be a fundamental step in determining a mechanism for resolving the banking crisis, since the new governor will be tasked with assessing the banking sector status and proposing appropriate solutions to end the crisis."

"The government is working to appoint a new governor for the Central Bank of Lebanon before the end of this month," disclosed Jaber, noting that "the selection will be based on criteria of competence and experience in the financial and monetary sectors, with a focus on ensuring that the new governor is capable of leading a critical reform phase within the central bank and the banking sector as a whole."

The Finance Minister’s words came in an exclusive interview with "The Independent Arabia" where he indicated that "the new government - named the Government of Reform and Salvation - has developed a clear vision based on the principle that there can be no rescue without reform, as this is the only path out of the current financial and economic crisis."

"The government issued the 2025 budget to ensure financial stability, overcoming pressures to re-examine it," explained Jaber, noting that "improving tax collection and reforming the customs sector are essential priorities for restoring the state's financial balance."

Referring to his Ministry, Jaber emphasized the importance of launching a digitization project by establishing a unified data center to collect all financial, tax, and real estate information, which will contribute to improving government performance, enhancing transparency, and combating administrative corruption.

Regarding the financial plan for the next phase, Jaber explained that "the government will begin by appointing regulatory bodies and executing stalled reform laws," stressing "the need to issue implementation decrees to regulate the work of public institutions."

He also referred to structural reforms that will include vital sectors in the country, such as electricity, telecommunications, and aviation, in addition to activating public-private partnerships, revealing that an upcoming meeting will take place by the Supreme Council for Privatization and Partnership to establish executive frameworks for joint projects.

===========R.Sh.