Beirut Municipality Demands Legal Action on Corruption and Public Funds
In a decisive move to combat corruption and financial mismanagement, the Beirut Municipality, under the leadership of President Ibrahim Zeidan, has announced its commitment to addressing irregularities within the municipal administration. This comes after an extraordinary session held on Friday, where the council discussed allegations of misconduct and resolved to take firm action against financial and administrative corruption.
Focus on Accountability and Transparency
The council emphasized that no violation of the law will be tolerated, regardless of the position of the official involved. It has been two months since the council initiated practical steps, including sending a letter to the Audit Bureau to assess the current financial and administrative situation. The council is also demanding that the judiciary take a strict approach in holding accountable any employee found guilty of financial or administrative violations, based on ongoing investigations into several files. These files include the concealed property list, collection files, permits, fines, parking revenues, municipal properties, and past festivals and events.
Legal Actions and Investigations
In coordination with the Audit Bureau, the council has requested the Public Prosecutor to broaden investigations to encompass all media-circulated files related to financial corruption and the exploitation of public and private municipal properties outside legal frameworks. This includes the non-assessment of concealed properties, which has led to the loss of billions of Lebanese pounds from the municipal treasury. The council has also requested the Public Prosecution to take necessary legal measures to investigate any embezzlement, waste of public funds, or misuse of municipal funds, in light of the daily revelations of violations, including illegal spending in the absence of required documents and non-compliance with accounting principles and legal authorities.
Commitment to Reform
Reiterating its commitment to transparency and accountability, the council aims to establish an honest and responsible municipal administration befitting Lebanon’s capital. It also stresses the need for a comprehensive review of competencies within the municipality to ensure the proper distribution of tasks and enable Beirut’s residents to play a leading role in managing their city’s affairs. Furthermore, the council has pledged to continue addressing illegal occupations of public properties and suspicious or expired contracts to restore the municipality’s rights and protect its assets.
Request for Legal Counsel
As a result of these commitments, the Beirut Municipality has requested Marwan Abboud, the Governor of Beirut, to appoint one of the lawyers contracted with the municipality to follow up on the ongoing investigations into corruption and the squandering of public funds by employees within the municipal administration. This action includes taking on the role of a personal claimant on behalf of the municipality to fully recover its rights.
Source: Annahar
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