The Chairman of the Internal Affairs Committee of the Libyan Parliament, MP Suleiman Al-Harari called on the authorities and the Parliament to assume their responsibilities and to speak clearly to the Libyan people about the impossibility of holding the elections on 24 December.
“It is the right of the Libyan people to be informed of all developments in the electoral process and not to be misled,” he noted.
Al-Hariri expressed his regret that no official position was issued in this regard, despite the presence of strong data indicating the necessity of postponing the elections. He called on the Head of the High National Elections Commission (HNEC), Emad Al-Din Al-Sayeh to publicly declare the technical inability to hold the elections as scheduled.
“The Prime Minister and the Minister of Interior are required to acknowledge their major shortcomings on securing the electoral process. The assault on the courts, as well as the closure of polling stations in the past days, is the best evidence of this,” he said in a statement.
“The Interior Minister should clarify that the ministry is currently unable to secure the upcoming elections and ensure their integrity,” he added
The MP stressed that the role of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) is to provide technical support to the Libyan authorities. The mission must commit to not interfere in the state’s internal affairs, or work for one side over the other.
He also criticized the insistence of UNSMIL on its cooperation with the parallel legislative body, the High Council of State (HCS). He explained that these actions have made the matter more complicated, “the mission has crossed the democratic path,” he claimed.
Al-Hariri also called on the UN to publish the results of the investigation into the bribery of some members of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF). He called on the international community to respect the will of the Libyan people, and to provide all assistance to conduct free, fair, and credible elections.