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UN official: Lebanon's elite should blame themselves for economic crisis

Lebanese politicians are watching on as the economy collapses, the senior U.N. official in Lebanon said on Wednesday, rebuking a political elite that has failed to form a government as the country sinks deeper into economic and financial crisis.

Jan Kubis, U.N. special coordinator for Lebanon, also noted that central bank (BDL) governor Riad Salameh had requested extraordinary powers to manage the economy -- an apparent reference to his request for extra authorities to regulate controls being implemented by commercial banks.

"Lebanon is truly unique -- the BDL Governor requesting extraordinary powers to at least somehow manage the economy while those responsible watch it collapsing. Incredible," Kubis wrote in a Twitter post.