The Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR), Aqila Saleh, accused the supporters of the former regime of Muammar Gaddafi of storming the parliament in Tobruk, and said that setting fire to the headquarters may be a premeditated act to overthrow the legislative authority.
Saleh said in an interview with Al-Arabiya TV that the Government of National Unity failed to carry out its tasks, especially national reconciliation and holding elections, adding that the Central Bank of Libya did not solve the problem of liquidity and salaries’ payment.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives indicated that the dispute over the constitutional track is related to the candidacy of dual nationals and the military officers, adding that he had suggested that the winner in presidential elections renounce their foreign citizenship, and saying that the High Council of State demanded dual nationals to give up their foreign citizenship first and insisted on rejecting the candidacy of dual nationals.
Saleh reiterated that more than 20 people with dual citizenships filed their candidacies for the presidential elections, and said that he would not prevent any Libyan from participating in the elections. He also reaffirmed that he did not change his agreement with the Head of the High Council of State, Khalid Al-Mishri.
“The proposal of the American ambassador, Richard Norland, regarding elections, is a call for the continuation of the division,” Saleh said, expressing his rejection of what he called the ambassador’s interference in the Libyan affairs, and said that Turkey is sending signs of respecting the decision of the House of Representatives to approve the government headed by Fathi Bashagha.
Saleh also said that in his personal assessment, Ankara no longer supports Dbeibah’s government and pointed out that a senior Turkish official, whom he did not name, will visit Libya after Eid Al-Adha to meet Bashagha. Saleh said that there are no constants in politics and that a number of HoR members will visit Turkey soon.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives indicated that they will investigate the refusal of the Governor of the Central Bank of Libya, Al-Siddiq Al-Kabir to fund Bashagha’s government, saying the Parliament could withdraw confidence from him, and that if the Audit Bureau refrains from submitting reports to the Parliament, its members will be sacked.
