By Moutaz Ali:
Tripoli, 16 July 2014.
The General National Congress (GNC) will hand over to the new House of Representatives on 3 August . . .[restrict]in Benghazi, a member of the new legislature has told the Libya Herald.
“We’ve had meetings with the first deputy of the GNC, Ezzeddin Al-Awami, for the handover arrangements,” said Aisa Al-Araibi, one of the new representatives for Benghazi. “The new House of Representatives must begin formal sessions within ten days of announcing the final results,”he added.
The High National Electoral Commission (HNEC) has said that it will announce final election results on 20 July.
The handover is supposed to take place in Benghazi. However, not all members of the GNC plan to attend the handover ceremony.
“We hope that we will be able to relinquish authority according to the time schedule but that it is not obligatory for all GNC members to attend,” Gemenis GNC member Abdullah Gmati told this paper. “We have confirmation that the first deputy of the GNC [Awami] will undertake the handover protocols,” he explained.
Both the president of Congress, Nuri Abu Sahmain, and the second deputy president, Saleh Al-Makhzoum, are said to be unwelcome in Benghazi. A number of members of the new legislature are also thought to be at risk if they go to the city. [/restrict]