Hundreds of students staged a sit-in in different parts of Lebanon yesterday in front of their schools and universities and in front of the headquarters of the Ministry of Education in Beirut in defiance of the decision to resume classes on the 21st day of the popular movement against the ruling political class. The President of Lebanon, Michel Aoun, revealed yesterday that 17 cases related to corruption had been referred to the investigation authorities, pointing out that the investigations would affect current and former officials.

In the city of Jounieh north of Beirut, students gathered in the courtyard of the main public school in the area, joined by other demonstrators, to denounce the ban on the school administration to leave them and join the protest movements, according to local media. Since Tuesday, some schools have reopened, after the Education Minister left the decision to resume teaching for each institution.

Students in Tire (south) closed the entrances to their official high school, demonstrating and chanting slogans calling for the overthrow of the regime.

In Beirut, dozens of students from schools and universities of the land in front of the headquarters of the Ministry of Education, especially expressing political demands and living like all the demonstrators in the country. "We are the basis of this revolution," a student among the protesters told a local channel.

In the cities of Nabatiyeh and Sidon in southern Lebanon, students of the official Lebanese University held a sit-in to express their rejection of their administration's decision to resume classes. "We want a non-sectarian system," said one student with a loudspeaker, while his classmates carried him on their shoulders.

The same scene was repeated in other universities and schools in the capital, and in the north of the country, where students moved to express their anger at the political class.

Hundreds also held demonstrations in front of official institutions, such as EDL, a symbol of poor public services, in a country that ranks 138 out of 180 on the corruption index, according to Transparency International.

Protesters also gathered in front of the Ministry of Finance and the Palace of Justice in Beirut, where lawyers demanded the independence of the judiciary, as well as the central bank to protest its monetary policies. The night before last, the streets of the demonstrations from Beirut to Tripoli in the north and Sidon in the south, were filled the day after the closure of major roads, banks and official institutions.

This comes at a time when Aoun, during his meeting in Beirut, yesterday, the World Bank Group Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Saroj Kumar Jha, that «the coming government will include ministers with experience and competence, and reputable, and away from suspicions of corruption ».

He pointed out that «Lebanon at the crossroads of a delicate, especially in economic terms, which is in dire need of a harmonious government, capable of production and not hampered by political conflicts and rivalries, and receive the required support from the people».

He announced that «the files referred to the investigation, will be followed by 17 files relating to corruption, and accountability will include all those involved and participants and facilitators».

He pointed out that «the reform projects he proposed to complete the anti-corruption system, is in the custody of the House of Representatives, the most important of which is the lifting of bank secrecy, lifting immunity for perpetrators, and the recovery of looted funds, and the establishment of the Special Court for financial crimes». Aoun pointed out that «investigations that will be conducted with current and former officials around them question marks, will not exclude any of those involved», stressing that «will not hesitate to put forward any reform law, consistent with the priority of the next stage».

He stressed that he «works to address the legacy of decades of corruption, and will continue to work so that it can eradicate, and put an end to waste and chaos in the State administrations and institutions».

World Bank warns of "greater recession" in Lebanon

The World Bank predicted that Lebanon will witness a “greater recession” as economic and financial pressures mount.

Earlier, the bank had expected Lebanon to record a slight recession in 2019, with negative growth (minus 2.0%).

"Politics gets the most attention, but the economy carries the greatest risks," the bank's regional director, Saroj Kumar Jha, was quoted as saying by Bloomberg News.

"With each passing day, the situation is getting worse, which will make recovery very difficult."

He pointed out that «the decline in confidence is causing the dollarization of deposits, which puts tremendous pressure on the budgets of banks and the central bank». This comes a day after Moody's downgraded Lebanon's long-term foreign debt rating from CAA1 to CAA2, eight degrees below the investment rating.

In December, Moody's downgraded Lebanon's debt rating by one notch to CAA1. Beirut - Beirut

- Aoun stressed that Lebanon is at a delicate crossroads, especially in economic terms.