(Bloomberg) -- Lebanon’s central bank governor warned Monday that the economy was “days” from collapse and called for a rapid change in government to satisfy protesters who have filled the streets for 12 days, forcing banks to close.

In unusually strong comments, Riad Salameh told CNN in an interview that a government change was needed to restore confidence and ensure that financial inflows from the country’s significant diaspora community do not dry up.

“It’s a matter of days because the cost is heavy on the country but more important we’re losing every day confidence -- more and more confidence. And finance and the economy is all about confidence,” Salameh said.

Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s trying “to get consensus on a new government or changes in the present government in a way to satisfy the people of Lebanon and to regain a certain trust. For the time being, there is no progress.”

To contact the reporter on this story: Dana Khraiche in Beirut at dkhraiche@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Lin Noueihed at lnoueihed@bloomberg.net

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