The Prime Minister-designate of Libya, Fathi Bashagha, called on state institutions and all monitoring and security authorities to stop dealing with the Government of National Unity, “whose term has expired,” and not to heed any decisions issued by it. A letter to the presidents of the House of Representatives and the Supreme Council of the State proposing the formation of a joint committee from both sides; To work on setting a consensual constitutional basis, while the United States and four European countries vowed to hold accountable those who threaten stability in Libya.
This came in a letter addressed by Bashagha, yesterday, to the Governor of the Central Bank of Libya, the Attorney General, the heads of the Audit Bureau, the Administrative Control Authority, the Anti-Corruption Authority, the General Intelligence Service and the Civil Aviation Authority.
“The only legal representative”
Bashagha said that his government, which won the confidence of Parliament, is “the sole legitimate representative of the executive authority in Libya.”
Establishing a constitutional rule
On the other hand, the United Nations Adviser on Libya, Stephanie Williams, revealed that she had called on the House of Representatives and the so-called Supreme Council of State to nominate six representatives for each council; “To form a joint committee dedicated to laying down a consensual constitutional basis.”
She added, in a series of tweets yesterday, that the joint committee is supposed to meet on the 15th of this month, under the auspices of the United Nations, to work for a period of two weeks to achieve this goal.
She also made it clear that she is awaiting a quick response from the two councils to this call, stressing the responsibility of the Libyan institutions to show good faith in working and to engage constructively together to move towards the elections.
Williams stressed that the solution to the Libyan crisis is not the formation of competing administrations and permanent transitional stages.
Welcome to Williams’ initiative
In turn, the Supreme Council of State welcomed the proposal of the UN advisor. The President of the Presidential Council, Mohamed El-Manfi, also welcomed Williams’ initiative.
The United States and four European countries vowed to hold accountable those who threaten stability in Libya, reiterating the United Nations’ call for actors to refrain from actions that may undermine stability.
Yesterday, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States expressed concern over recent reports of violence and threats of violence, intimidation and kidnappings, stressing that any dispute over the future of the political process must be resolved without resorting to violence. The five countries affirmed their readiness to hold accountable those who threaten stability through violence or incitement, noting that individuals or entities inside or outside Libya, who obstruct or undermine the completion of the political transition process, will be held accountable.
