On Saturday, the Libyan Prime Minister-designate, Fathi Bashagha said his government will not allow the division of the country.
During a televised speech, Bashagha addressed the Libyan people regarding the developments in the political and security situation.
“I will not allow the country to be divided, and we are keen to unite the people. My government was formed with a Libyan-led consensus, and by a purely Libyan will,” Bashagha said.
He fiercely criticized his rival government led by Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba, who refuses to cede power. He claimed that “using force to remain in power is a form of terrorism and repression. We will not accept anyone who imposes himself on the Libyans by force of arms.”
“We did not block roads, or issue arrest warrants against oppositions; we opened channels of communication with our opponents, believing in the principle of a peaceful transfer of power,” he added.
The Libyan PM pointed out that his administration didn’t come for revenge. “We came to restore the dignity of the Libyan citizen, and we will build our state with the help of supporters and the cooperation of opponents.”
Bashagha stressed that he will not submit the country to “brokers and corrupt people, who believe that they will remain in office with weapons and buy people with corrupt money.”
He also promised to work vigorously to prepare for elections.
On Wednesday, Osama Al-Juwaili, a military commander in Libya’s Western Region, held a meeting with several militias loyal to Dbaiba.
In press statements, Al-Juwaili said that the Dbaiba-led government “has lost legitimacy and legal jurisdiction since the eastern-based Parliament passed a vote of confidence to the government of Fathi Bashagha.”
He called for a peaceful transfer of power, noting, “We may be forced to use force to secure the work of the Bashaga government.” Al-Juwaili told the armed groups that Dbaiba must leave office peacefully to “spare Tripoli a war”
On 10 February, the Speaker of the Libyan Parliament, Ageela Saleh announced the unanimous appointment of Bashagha as the new Prime Minister. 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.