Fathi Bashagha, the Interior Minister for the Government of National Accord (GNA), rejected the EU’s Operation “IRINI” on the grounds that it restricted the GNA in its ability to confront the Libyan National Army (LNA).
Bashaga claimed that the GNA had a legitimate right to procure weapons to defend itself, despite a UN arms embargo banning the supply of weapons to Libya.
A number of European officials, at the invitation of the European Council for Foreign Affairs (ECFR), spoke with the Interior Minister to discuss latests developments in Libya and security sector reforms undertaken by the Ministry.
Bashaga rejected Operation “IRINI” in its current form, believing it aims only at stopping the “legitimate support” that the GNA was receiving, while failing to stop the flow of weapons to the LNA.