By Sami Zaptia.
Tripoli, 30 October:
The GNC had to postpone its discussion of the Zeidan government this afternoon after it was stormed . . .[restrict]by demonstrating thuwar (militia).
The Tripoli thuwar stormed the GNC and disrupted the proceedings of the afternoon session complaining that their area was underrepresented in the new Zeidan government.
GNC head Mohamed Magarief complained about the actions of the Tripoli thuwar saying that ‘’they have a right to demonstrate but not in this way. Their actions caused members discomfort’’.
It has also been claimed that amongst the group were Salafists protesting the appointment of Abdulsalam Mohammed Abusaad as minister of religious affairs. They accuse Abusaad of being a Sufi, a practice within Islam that Salafists consider heretical.
Prime Minister-elect Ali Zeidan had finally announced his proposed government consisting of 27 ministers, 3 deputy prime ministers and 2 ministers of state this morning after being delayed from yesterday as a result of the inability to achieve a quorum of GNC members.
Early indications show that the majority of the proposed government are acceptable to GNC members with the exception of three or four which were deemed to represent the old regime.
It is expected that the debate will continue tomorrow morning ending with a vote on the proposed government.
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