By Sami Zaptia.
Tripoli, 5 August 2013:
Following a few weeks of intense and increased public criticism, Prime Minister Ali Zeidan again attempted to defend his personal and his government’s performance at today’s press conference.
Partially stung by the way in which his Deputy Prime Minister, Awad Barasi, had announced his resignation at a press conference Saturday, without informing him first, and in response to criticism that he has been ineffective in repulsing armed criminal and terrorist activity – Zeidan again resorted to the fact that the state was “weak”.
“We received this government with the nation in a poor and weak state”, he said. “All the state’s apparatus was destroyed during the revolution. Now we are re-establishing them”.
With regards to the increased public criticism, he alleged that they “do not affect him”. “I am doing a national duty, not a political duty”, he claimed. “I will not be affected by anything said around us”, he added, exhibiting what some might interpret as determination, whilst others as stubbornness.
“Everyone knows what is going on. I am only affected by my conscience, the prescribed legislations and what duty requires of me”, he added. [/restrict]
