Libyan Government of National Unity accuses eastern parliament of ‘fraud’

Libya’s National Unity Government has reiterated its adherence to its mandate, accusing the eastern-based parliament in Tobruk of “fraud” by granting confidence to a new government led by Fathi Bashagha.

The unity government cited in a statement the outcomes of the political dialogue forum which had set the duration of the transitional executive authority at 18 months or until 24 June 2022.

“The government confirms that it is continuing its work, and will not bother with this mess, concentrating its efforts to complete the elections as scheduled next June,” it said in a statement yesterday.

Earlier a spokesman for the eastern-based House of Representatives announced that the parliament has “unanimously approved Fathi Bashagha to head the government.”

Emerging reports said as many as 92 lawmakers out of the parliament’s 101 voted in favour of granting confidence to Bashagha.

READ: Libya High Council of State refuses constitutional amendments

However, the unity government has contested the results, calling the vote “a new farce” where Libyans could easily see “forgery in the count” on TV screens.

According to the statement, the count did not reach the quorum while many lawmakers were not even in Tobruk to attend the session, yet they had been counted as in attendance.

On 10 February, the eastern-based House of Representatives assigned Bashagha to form a new government, after presidential elections could not be held in December.

However, National Unity Government head Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh announced a plan to hold parliamentary elections and a referendum on the draft constitution simultaneously before 24 June.

However, so far, no new date for presidential and parliamentary elections has been agreed upon.