By Moutaz Ali.
Tripoli, 21 July 2014:
Members of the newly-elected House of Representatives plan to meet in Benghazi as early as Thursday for a . . .[restrict]consultative meeting.
It had previously been announced that the House (now called by most Libyans as “parliament”) would hold its inaugural session in Benghazi in the first week of August, probably on 3 August.
“Some members from different parts of Libya have agreed to meet on 24 July for a consultative meeting in Benghazi,” Benghazi member Aisa Al-Araibi told the Libya Herald.
The official inaugural session, which is supposed to include a handover ceremony from the General National Congress, may still be held in August, although some members are saying that this too may be brought forward.
“According to my information, the first formal sitting is on 29 July,” said Ayman Saif Al-Nasr, who topped the poll in Janzour.
Getting to Benghazi is no longer viewed as an insurmountable problem for members from the west of the country. Afriqiyah Airways is now flying from Mitiga airbase to Labraq airport.
Concerns about safety in Benghazi also have become relative given the security crisis in the capital.
Meanwhile, Congress has called its members for a session tomorrow, 22 July, to vote on the election results due today. After approving them it is supposed to formally call the new House of Representatives to start holding sessions, in order to follow proper procedures according to the democratic roadmap previously put into action. This, however, is seen as a largely academic exercise.
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