The Central Bank of Lebanon (Banque du Liban) has indicated it would not oppose raising monthly withdrawals for depositors under Circulars 158 and 166, provided any increase remains within a defined ceiling, sources told LBCI. The move is aimed at mitigating the economic shock stemming from the country’s ongoing financial crisis.

However, the central bank emphasized that such an expansion is contingent on clear guarantees from Lebanon’s executive and legislative authorities. Officials said these guarantees should be formalized through an explicit provision in the Financial Stability and Deposit Recovery Law, ensuring that all amounts paid under Circulars 158 and 166 are automatically counted and deducted from any future payments within the minimum guaranteed amounts for depositors.

Without such a legal clause, sources warned, increasing withdrawals would effectively inject additional funds without proper accounting, a step the bank considers unacceptable.

The sources stressed that the responsibility for enshrining this principle lies with the government and parliament, not the central bank. They called on the Cabinet and lawmakers to legislate the measure clearly to provide the necessary legal framework for any withdrawal expansion.