By Sami Zaptia.
Tripoli, 18 January 2022:
Ageela Saleh, the Speaker of parliament (the House of Representatives – HoR) said that the mandate of the current Abd Alhamid Aldabaiba Libyan Government of National Unity (GNU) had expired on the planned election date of 24 December 2021.
Saleh was speaking during yesterday’s HoR session in Tobruk. The session was presided over by fulltime HoR Speaker Ageela Saleh – his first since September after taking a legally-prescribed break to prepare for and run in the now postponed 24 December presidential elections.
Saleh said a new government must be reconstituted and called on the Attorney General to investigate what the Aldabaiba government had spent, especially in the development and emergency clauses of the budget.
Saleh also cited violations by the Aldabaiba government in transferring money from one budget sector to another without the HoR’s approval. He also accused the government of the abuse of power by issuing the assignment of representatives and non-representatives to leadership positions in violation of laws and regulations.
He called on the Attorney General and Governor of the Central Bank of Libya to assume their responsibilities and not to spend from the budget except according to what is decided by the Finance Committee and the House of Representatives.
The international community wants to retain Aldabaiba’s government
Saleh’s statement on the end of the Aldabaiba government’s mandate on 24 December 2021 is in total opposition to that held by France, Germany, Italy, the UK, and the U.S.
In a joint statement released by France, Germany, Italy, the UK, and the U.S. on 24 December 2021 on the failure to hold Libyan elections on that date, the signatories said:
‘‘In line with the Paris declaration, France, Germany, Italy, the UK and the United States recall their understanding that the transfer of power from the current interim executive authority (the Aldabaiba government) to the new executive authority shall take place following the announcement of the results of such early and prompt parliamentary and presidential elections. To avoid conflicts of interests and to promote a level playing field, candidates holding roles in public institutions should also continue vacating them until the announcement of the electoral results.’’
Saleh’s statement that he does not recognize the continued mandate of the Aldabaiba government put him at odds with the above five states.
