No Result
View All Result
Sunday, July 6, 2025
23 °c
Tripoli
24 ° Sat
24 ° Sun
  • Advertising
  • Contact
LibyaHerald
  • Home
  • Libya
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Magazine
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Register
SUBSCRIBE
  • Home
  • Libya
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Magazine
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Register
No Result
View All Result
LibyaHerald
No Result
View All Result
Home Libya

Serraj government creaking under pressure: with electricity blackouts, water cuts, youth fleeing to Europe and demonstrating, and municipalities calling for immediate action

bySami Zaptia
August 23, 2020
Reading Time: 3 mins read
A A
Serraj government creaking under pressure: with electricity blackouts, water cuts, youth fleeing to Europe and demonstrating, and municipalities calling for immediate action

Libyans are demonstrating against all their failed political and ruling elite in the face of power and water cuts, fuel and liquidity shortages (Photo: Social media).

By Sami Zaptia.

Libyans are demonstrating against all their failed political and ruling elite in the face of power and water cuts, fuel and liquidity shortages (Photo: Social media).

London, 22 August 2020:

The internationally recognized Libyan government of Faiez Serraj, based in the capital Tripoli, is creaking under pressure of popular discontent as Libyans continue to see it as an ineffective government daily.

With reports that Tripoli-based militias aligned to the internationally recognized Libyan government breaking up demonstrations against the Serraj government by men, on Thursday night a small group of mostly women demonstrated in Algeria Square.

One over seventy-year old lady gave an interview to a local TV channel, usually with a supportive editorial line towards the Tripoli government, which touched a nerve amongst Libyans.

RELATED POSTS

Misratan businesses to escalate protests against increased commercial electricity tariff

Increased summer peak-time electricity prices only for high consumption commercial entities: GECOL

In a mature and considered tone of voice the lady beseeched the Serraj government to not ignore the people and do something about the standard of living crisis in the country.

With successive blackouts and 24-hour power cuts over the last week, Libyan youth have taken to the streets to demonstrate their anger, blocking roads and burning tyres. The tyre burning was partially in anger and partially to provide them with lighting during the extended power cuts.

The irony is that the failed Serraj government has recently resumed university exams and sixth formers are planned to start at the start of September. Students are encouraged not to mix socially with colleagues and urged to revise for exams remotely in their own family bubbles. They are encouraged to revise together in study groups using mobiles and social media – yet with extensive power cuts, this is impossible.

For even those who can afford a large family-sized generator that can run all day and can afford to order-in by phone the diesel to run it at LD 1.50-2.00 / litre, as opposed to the official price of LD 0.35 – can do nothing about operating the mobile phone masts for the needed phone and social media calls.

What has also touched a nationwide Libya nerve is the recent reports of increased Libyan youth now jostling with illegal African migrants to get on the so-called ‘‘death boats’’ to cross the Mediterranean to Europe. An unconfirmed report that at least one boatful of Libyans has capsized with all onboard lost at sea, has caused consternation.

It has, unsurprisingly, in this day and age, led to much social media soul-searching. The brunt of the anger has been directed at the Serraj government, but with the High State Council and parliament (west and east), getting their fair share of lambasting too.

All this with the spread of the Coronavirus in the country out of control. Yesterday, the number of cases passed the 10,000 mark.

People are encouraged to remain at home, but they complain that they need to visit banks to withdraw money, queue for petrol, diesel, cooking cylinders etc. But the banks have a cash crisis and people are forced to keep revisiting banks and queue for long hours – in case liquidity is made available.

The lady interviewed by the Libyan TV channel said they need cash to buy masks and gloves because of the Coronavirus – but the banks have no cash to give out. She said that life was becoming unbearable with Coronavirus, power and water cuts, cash shortages and uncollected rubbish on the streets.

With the war with Hafter looking increasingly over on a permanent basis, the Serraj administration has got no ‘‘we are at war’’ fig leaf to hide behind. His administration and its ineffectiveness have come into focus and under the microscope.

It will be recalled that the Serraj government is perceived as a government chosen by the international community with no local mandate or legitimacy. Legitimacy was meant to be gained through effectiveness and delivering services. However, its failure to solve even one of the myriad of problems of power and water cuts, cash liquidity, rubbish collection, insecurity, fuel and cooking gas shortages etc – has gained it no friends.

On a popular talk show on a local TV station yesterday, local municipality leaders waded into Serraj for failing to solve the electricity problem. They conveyed him as out of touch and insisted he either resolved the power supply problem through the local GECOL company within a short timeline, or purchase it from neighbouring Egypt, or through the hiring of temporary power generators installed regionally – doing away with GECOL altogether.

Tags: bank cash liquidity crisis shortagecorona virus coronavirus Covid 19diesel shortageelectricity power cutsFaiez Serraj Presidency Council Government of National Accord PC GNAfeaturedGECOL General Electricity Company of Libyaillegal migration

Related Posts

Libya Herald exclusive: Responding to the prime minister’s call yesterday to the private sector and banks to do more, leading businessman Husni Bey responds
Business

Op-Ed: Reputational Damage Is Worse Than Losing Money

July 2, 2025
Libyan Russian Economic Forum starts in St. Petersburg
Libya

Libyan Russian Economic Forum starts in St. Petersburg

June 27, 2025
MoI establishes Elections Security and Protection Department
Libya

Aldabaiba and Menfi stress use of polling feedback to establish consensus basis for constitutional process: report and analysis

June 26, 2025
GNU to take oath at Benghazi HoR session and budget to be approved at Tripoli session: GNU
Libya

“There is no state built by gangs and criminality, it’s built by engineers, youth, consultants, security, police and army”: Aldabaiba

June 23, 2025
GNU to take oath at Benghazi HoR session and budget to be approved at Tripoli session: GNU
Libya

187 new security posts taken over from militias – PM declares victory for the state as all vital Tripoli sites come under its exclusive control for the first time since 2011

June 19, 2025
Interior Ministry’s Diplomatic Missions Protection personnel receiving training in Ukraine
Libya

The Interior Ministry had spent LD 50 billion in 13 years with no result: Acting Interior Minister Trabelsi

June 17, 2025
Next Post
Libyan market may reopen for Tunisian agricultural products next week: Tunisian Agri Union

Libyan market may reopen for Tunisian agricultural products next week: Tunisian Agri Union

UNSMIL welcomes appointment of Fact-Finding Mission on Libya

ADVERTISEMENT

Top Stories

  • CBL goes public at last about the counterfeit LD 50 notes – notes to be withdrawn until end of August

    CBL reveals discovery of LD 3.5 billion in counterfeit 50-dinar notes printed in Russia – PM calls on Attorney General to open investigation

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Op-Ed: Reputational Damage Is Worse Than Losing Money

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • CBL demands imports are conducted through official banking instruments and the elimination of the FX black market

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • All imports into Libya must be paid for through official bank transactions

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Three Libyan companies win awards in Athens International Olive Oil Competition ‎

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
ADVERTISEMENT
LibyaHerald

The Libya Herald first appeared on 17 February 2012 – the first anniversary of the Libyan Revolution. Since then, it has become a favourite go-to source on news about Libya, for many in Libya and around the world, regularly attracting millions of hits.

Recent News

A 247,000-bpd oil production increase would achieve US$ 6 billion annually to enhance ability to meet FX demand, maintain strength of LD and achieve economic balance: CBL ‎

Op-Ed: Reputational Damage Is Worse Than Losing Money

Sitemap

  • Why subscribe?
  • Terms & Conditions
  • FAQs
  • Copyright & Intellectual Property Rights
  • Subscribe now

Newsletters

    Be the first to know latest important news & events directly to your inbox.

    Sending ...

    By signing up, I agree to our TOS and Privacy Policy.

    © 2022 LibyaHerald - Powered by Sparx Solutions.

    Welcome Back!

    Login to your account below

    Forgotten Password? Sign Up

    Create New Account!

    Fill the forms below to register

    *By registering into our website, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
    All fields are required. Log In

    Retrieve your password

    Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

    Log In
    No Result
    View All Result
    • Login
    • Sign Up
    • Libya
    • Business
    • Advertising
    • About us
    • BusinessEye Magazine
    • Letters
    • Features
    • Why subscribe?
    • FAQs
    • Contact

    © 2022 LibyaHerald - Powered by Sparx Solutions.

    This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.