The Lebanese Ministry of Finance denied, today Monday, rumors about the existence of requests or correspondence with Iraq related to corruption files, indicating that any request concerning corruption files with Iraq is made through official correspondence.
The ministry stated in a statement reviewed by "Video News Agency" that "some media outlets circulated news about the Lebanese government and the Lebanese Minister of Finance, claiming the existence of requests or correspondence that were exchanged with Iraq concerning corruption files and other topics," clarifying that "the information in these news items is completely unfounded."
It added that "any request related to such matters can only be made through official correspondence between the governments, ministries, and competent authorities exclusively between the two brotherly countries, and in accordance with the established procedures and official channels," pointing out that "the Lebanese Parliament had previously approved the law lifting banking secrecy, but obtaining the information and data covered by its provisions has legal procedures that must be followed, and cannot be done randomly or directly, but through the legally authorized entities, especially the judiciary or the special investigation committee at the Central Bank of Lebanon, each within its jurisdiction."
It continued that "banking information, files, and relevant data are not files that can be carried and distributed upon request, and cannot be obtained or circulated outside the defined legal and official frameworks," clarifying that "everything mentioned in the circulating news on this matter is nothing but fabrications and falsehoods, with no basis in fact, and has no connection to any official procedure."
It stressed "the importance of respecting legal procedures and official channels in any correspondence or requests related to any of the files, regardless of their nature."