Head of the Lebanese Banks’ Association Joseph Torbey signed at ABL premises on Tuesday, August 31st, 2010, an agreement protocol with the president of the judges’ mutual fund Abdullatif al-Husseini and in the presence of the heads of judiciary instance in Lebanon.
Torbey said that the new agreement reflects the seriousness of the Lebanese banking sector in assuming its national and professional responsibilities: “Hence, improving the conditions of judges is essential for maintaining the stability of the judiciary body in Lebanon in addition to strengthening its independence…… the agreement will provide judiciary members with housing loans in Lebanese Lira at low interest rates that do not exceed 1.628 percent.
For his part, Husseini emphasized the role of the banks’ association “which is very well known for its key role in financing the activities of the different Lebanese sectors … It also played a great role in preserving the national economy and maintaining a stable financial situation during the most difficult times.” He said that Lebanese judges deserve additional support especially with the hike in the prices of residential apartments and the absence of a comprehensive housing policy.
The head of the supreme judicial council, Judge Ghaleb Ghanem, considered the new agreement to be a gift from the banks’ association to the judiciary body and hoped that the latter works hard in return to solve the issues that are still pending in the courts.
Justice Minister, Ibrahim Najjar, expressed his happiness of this huge contribution of the Lebanese banking sector in improving the conditions of judges saying: “Lebanon cannot raise and become a State Institutions if judges are not independent financially and morally of all political interferences”.