Tripoli based Libyan Prime Minister, Abd Alhamid Aldabaiba, has succeeded in obtaining the political backing from the Presidency Council and the High State Council (HSC) for his new ministerial appointments made earlier this month.
This approval came in the form of a jointly signed declaration yesterday by all three parties after the Presidency Council seemingly dropped its initial objections to Aldabaiba’s appointments as being unconstitutional or in contravention of Libya’s agreed political roadmap, the Libyan Political Agreement.
The move is seen a deal made in Tripoli that completely sidelines the Benghazi-based Libyan parliament, the House of Representatives, a main pillar of the Political Agreement.
The Presidency Council’s objection
The delayed approval by Presidency Head Mohamed Al-Menfi comes despite his initial objection on constitutional grounds laid out in a 2 March leaked letter to Aldabaiba. In the letter Menfi had said:
‘‘Your actions regarding the cabinet reshuffle, which includes the dismissal of ministers, violate the fact that they enjoy the confidence of the legislative authorities (House of Representatives / High State Council), a confidence derived and ongoing according to the Political Agreement.’’
‘‘The formation of governments or any reshuffle is subject exclusively to the Political Agreement and its annexes included in the Constitutional Declaration and its amendments’’.
‘‘Addressing vacancies resulting from the voluntary resignation of ministers requires broad national consensus and sound legal frameworks.’’
Statement on Measures Taken to Enhance Government Performance
Meanwhile, yesterday’s three-tripartite statement couched itself in terms of ‘‘measures (ministerial appointments) recently taken by the Prime Minister to streamline government operations and address vacancies in certain government positions.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister presented the measures (appointments) he has initiated to fill vacancies in several government positions and ensure the continuity of public institutions and the smooth functioning of the executive branch. This aims to guarantee the continued provision of services to citizens in accordance with the public interest.
The President of the Presidential Council and the President of the High Council of State noted the communication and consultations the Prime Minister has held with them regarding these measures. They emphasized the importance of ensuring the measures’ soundness and consistency with the legal and political frameworks governing this phase, particularly the Political Agreement. They commended his positive response to the observations raised and his consideration of relevant national and institutional considerations.
The President of the High Council of State affirmed his support for this step, while the President of the Presidential Council approved the measures taken by the Prime Minister to fill vacancies in certain government positions and enhance performance within the executive branch. This aims to ensure the continuity of state institutions and strengthen their ability to fulfil their duties during this period.
The attendees emphasized the importance of continued coordination and enhanced cooperation among state institutions to bolster institutional stability and create the conditions for reaching a national consensus that will enable the holding of elections according to agreed-upon and implementable rules’’.
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