TRIPOLI, Libya: The UN envoy for Libya on Sunday urged Libya to go for elections for a fresh start as the future of the country should not depend on the High Council of State and House of Representatives.
The local media outlets reported that Abdoulaye Bathily made the remarks in the capital Tripoli, at the Forum of Elders and Dignitaries of Fezzan.
Bathily stated that the UN mission was striving to assist Libyans in finding answers to the problem without endorsing one party over another and that stability might reign in the country if a new administration is formed. According to him, the nation’s destiny should be determined by the people’s aspirations rather than by the House of Representatives and the High Council of State.
Bathily stated that “the only way to build a new Libya is for elections to take place that will elect the head of state and the members of parliament.” He urged regional and international partners to assist the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) in fulfilling its responsibility to establish stability and peace in Libya.
He said, “Those are demanding new temporary arrangements, and governments only want to share the cake, and history will remember them as well.”
Elections in Libya were supposed to occur in December 2021, but disagreements between political opponents regarding who should run for office and other issues prevented the vote. The 6+6 Joint Committee, established by the High Council and the Libyan parliament, announced a deal on election laws last month. However, certain members of the two chambers disagreed with the committee’s recommendations. AA/APP
