The Libyan Parliament designated Prime Minister, Fathi Bashagha accused the Prime Minister of the outgoing Government of National Unity (GNU), Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba of supporting terrorism and armed militias.
During an interview with Al-Arabiya Al-Hadath television channel, Bashagha said a number of militias that supported Dbaiba had now “retreated.”
He confirmed his government has the ability to enter Tripoli, “but prefers to enter it peacefully, and without bloodshed. The outgoing government is trying to drag us into a conflict that will lead to casualties.”
Bashagha pointed out that his administration has contacted militias and politicians in order to resolve the crisis. He sharply criticized the GNU, claiming it “has many administrative transgressions, which is unprecedented by any Libyan government.”
“The outgoing Dbaiba government wants to cling to power and loot Libyan funds,” adding that “it had spent the money on terrorist and armed groups.”
He also made it clear that his government will not prosecute anyone or settle personal grudges, as “this is up to the judicial and supervisory authorities.”
On Saturday, Bashagha accused the GNU of deliberately sabotaging the country’s general elections. During an interview with Al-Wasat TV, Bashagha said that Dbaiba did not intend to hold elections from the start. “He informed foreign and local parties that he would last for two years or more, and there would be no elections,” Bashagha added.
“Since 2011, successive Libyan governments handed over power smoothly, and even the Salvation Government responded after a short period, but the Dabaiba government did not,” he noted.
Last week, Bashagha warned of the collapse of the ceasefire agreement if the outgoing GNU continues to refuse to hand over power to his government.
“The outgoing government’s continued usurpation of power and the threat of violence threatens to unravel the ceasefire agreement, and undermine national and international efforts to hold elections,” Bashagha said in a statement.
On 10 February, the Speaker of the Libyan Parliament, Ageela Saleh announced that they unanimously appointed Bashagha as the new Prime Minister.
However, Dbaiba warned that the appointment of a new interim government could lead to war and chaos in the country. He renewed his pledge to only hand power over to an elected government.