Wednesday 24 August 2016

Libya's Parliament Votes To Reject Proposed Government of National Accord (GNA)



مجلس النواب يصوت على حكومة الوفاق الوطني المقترحة بالرفض 


In a chaotic session the HoR had voted on the 22nd of August 2016 to reject the proposed Libyan government of national accord (GNA). The HoR's website says 101 MPs attended the session and therefore reaching the required quorum (النصاب القانوني). Sixty one MPs voted not to give confidence to the proposed GNA; one MP gave confidence; and thirty nine MPs abstained. 

Many HoR members were angry about the way the voting was suddenly announced. Apparently the HoR's agenda, جدول الأعمال , does not include voting. As far as many MPs are concerned the agenda for today's session contains only two topics: 

  • amending the internal regulations (تعديل اللائحة الداخلية) 
  • discussing the referendum on the draft constitution (مناقشة الاستفتاء على مشروع الدستور).

However, according to the HoR the agenda for the session is the same agenda laid out months ago, which includes voting whether to grant or not to grant confidence to the proposed GNA.  Libyas Channel said the agenda is the same as the suspended agenda of the 25th of January 2016, which includes the following topics:

  • amending the constitutional declaration (مناقشة واعتماد الاعلان الدستوري), which was postponed again for lack of quorum (134+1) 
  • voting over the proposed GNA (اعتماد حكومة الوفاق), which was rejected by 61 votes on the 22nd of August 2016. 

The second deputy president of the HoR was reported to have said that the voting is illegal because the session agenda was changed suddenly (جدول الأعمال تمّ تغييره بشكل مفاجئ). He also said that the fact that the HoR's president had ordered the PC to form a third government shows that he has no intention of removing the UN-imposed PC (the Presidency Council, also known as the Presidential Council).

The second deputy agreed that the PC has failed and that a new government is required, but he was not happy with the manner in which the HoR conducted this session, which he says would deepen the divide.

Other HoR members, however, were reported to have said that the PC has no legitimacy to form a third a government because according to Article 180 the PC has failed twice to form a government. This indicates that the PC itself must be replaced.

Final Ultimatum


The twist however is that according to the controversial (and NTC-imposed) constitutional declaration (CD), if the proposed government is rejected twice then the acting president of Libya (currently represented by the HoR's president) has the right to form a new government. 

But instead the HoR had granted the UN-imposed PC a third and final chance to come up with a smaller government (some say of 8 ministers) within 10 days. The HoR had also instructed the boycotting members to return to the PC and assist with forming the third GNA.

Nonetheless, this third government must secure the approval of ALL the PC's members including the boycotting members (as stated by Article 3 of the LPA). Finally the HoR had also declared all decisions coming from the PC to be illegal and ineffective (إلغاء قرارات المجلس الرئاسي), which according to some members is an illegal decision in itself because the HoR is part of the LPA and therefore cannot by itself cancel the LPA. This sounds like trouble ahead, once more. 

Dazzling Puzzle


To speak the language of people in the stricken streets, and send the jargon of politicians to the waste bin, one is compelled to say that there is one thing that is puzzling the dizzy minds of Libyans: the number of violations committed by all the governments of Libya and by the UN and other international powers dealing with Libya is truly astronomical.

The Odyssey continues to spew out one violation after another while the people continue to suffer the miseries of sick morality. Almost every single entity involved had violated one rule or another, right from day one: the imaginary massacre of Benghazi - the WMD of Libya. The UN, the EU, the AL, the NTC, the GNC, the CDA, the HoR, the PC, and the GNA had all indulged themselves with violation after another. What does that tell you? Is it your "biggest mistake"? Or is it your hidden agenda to divide Libya? Shame on you UN.




Friday 19 August 2016

Faculty of Antiquities & Tourism (كلية الآثار والسياحة)





The University of Tobruk has revealed that it will create a faculty of antiquities & tourism. This will be the second faculty of tourism in Libya; the first being founded by Gaddafi's government way back in 2007. The building of Tobruk's education college will be used as the headquarters of the tourism college. After the planed refurbishment the building will be ready for the educational year 2016/2017. The dean of the new faculty, Mr. Belaid Emrabeth, was reported to have said that the number of targeted students for admission to the college will be around 100 students, and that places will be allocated according to the acceptance criteria. For further details about this faculty, and about Khums's faculty of antiquities & tourism (the first tourism faculty in North Africa), please see: https://www.temehu.com/atf.htm