By Sami Zaptia.
London, 29 December 2016:
Libyan diplomats abroad have been given three months’ grace by the Government of National Accord’s (GNA Ministry of Finance in order to solve any discrepancies in their National ID numbers.
The compromise was reached in Tripoli today during a meeting between GNA’s Finance Minister-elect Osama Hamad and GNA Foreign Minister-elect Mohamed Siala during which the issue of the salaries of Libyan diplomats abroad was discussed.
Siala had brought up the issue of the payment of the salaries of diplomats who had discrepancies in their National ID Numbers. Libyan law prescribes that state-sector salaries can only be issued based upon a valid National ID Number. This measure was adopted by the state to counter the issuing of salaries to ‘’ghost’’ state employees and to mitigate corruption.
Equally, in view of Libya’s dire economic situation caused by diminishing foreign currency due to falling oil production and the crash in international crude oil prices, Siala for his part has been attempting to whittle down the size of the Foreign Ministry employees abroad who are paid in hard currency.
A number of diplomats abroad whose term of office has expired have been recalled by the Foreign Ministry, diplomatic sources confirmed to Libya Herald.
Finance Minister-elect Hamad, for his part, proposed that three months’ salaries would be paid out to diplomats giving those concerned time to solve their National ID Number discrepancies.
The compromise has averted a possible brewing crises between the two GNA Ministries over the issue.
