The Libyan parliament will hold a vote of confidence session on a new unified government, chaired by Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, on March 8 in Sirte, south of Libya.
Speaker Aguila Saleh said the session will be held if the 5+5 Joint Military Commission (JMC) guarantees the security of the meeting in the city.
“If that proves impossible, the session will be held in the temporary seat of parliament in Tobruk at the same date and time,” Saleh noted after his meeting with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita.
The speaker urged the commission for an answer, noting that his call comes after reviewing the constitutional declaration and based on the vision of Dbeibah for the cabinet’s formation.
The commission includes members of the Libyan National Army (LNA) and the Government of National Accord (GNA).
Saleh announced that he will decide on what’s best for the country, and if granted the vote of confidence, the government will be approved by the elected legislative authority.
However, the parliamentary defense and national security committee asked its members to wait before granting a vote of confidence in light of Dbeibah's recent controversial statements about Turkey.
The committee was surprised that the PM-elect accepted the agreements concluded with the “Turkish occupation”, accepting their presence in the country in accordance with these agreements.
The committee called on the presidency of the parliament to wait for a clear position of the Presidential Council and the government on the Turkish presence and its mercenaries.
Chairman of the committee Talal al-Mihoub told Asharq Al-Awsat that the statement was issued after consulting with LNA leader Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, suggesting a possible change in his relationship with the new executive authority.
Mihoub explained that there is a chance to support the state’s sovereignty, noting that the Presidential Council is responsible for its government, and must formally clarify its position.
“Our position will remain firm regarding the rejection of the Turkish presence above all, and therefore change is required on their part.”
Earlier, Dbeibah openly praised the relations with Turkey during his visit to the eastern region where he did not meet with Haftar.
"Our ties with Turkey will be distinguished. It is our economic partner, and we support this partnership."
He also stressed Libya's commitment to the maritime agreement inked between Turkey and Libya in November 2019.
Dbeibah was selected early this month in the UN-brokered Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) to form the new government.
For his part, the head of the GNA delegation to the 5+5 JMC talks in Geneva, General Ahmad Abu Shahma, indicated that the military commission’s role is advisory and therefore does not have the legal mandate to remove the foreign forces in Sirte.
He explained in a message carried by local media that the JMC lacks the legal and security competence in securing a parliamentary session, stressing that it is up to the lawmakers to hold this session in any city they see fit, in coordination with the competent security authorities.
Sirte is still under the control of foreign forces and mercenaries, without the presence of any legitimate force securing the area, he warned.
