The Prime Minister of Government of National Accord (GNA), Fayez Al-Sarraj, announced in a televised speech on Monday several statements, most notably a cabinet reshuffle as well as a condemnation of the attack on peaceful demonstrators in Tripoli.
The most important points of Al-Sarraj’s statement are as follows:
• The peaceful expression of opinion is a fundamental right of the people, and one of the characteristics of the civil state.
• Violations occurred in the Tripoli demonstrations, where protestors did not obtain the necessary permits to demonstrate so as to be protected by the police.
• We must respond to the people’s demands.
• Infiltrators were among the protesters, and attacked public and private property. We reject the assault on peaceful demonstrators.
• The electricity crisis is complex, and has accumulated for decades. Fixing it requires cooperation.
• Some cities and districts do not comply with the loads. This confuses the network, resulting in blackouts.
• Armed groups terrorize the employees of the electricity company, forcing them to not raise loads.
• We seek to achieve justice among the various regions in the process of raising loads.
• We are working on new projects to reduce the electricity deficit.
• We are now in the summer peak period, and there is no quick fix to the electricity crisis.
• Local and external financial support plays a role in creating crises.
• We will not allow the legitimacy of the Presidency Council (PC) to be overturned, and for the country to enter a political vacuum. The PC may have to declare a state of emergency, and form a crisis government.
• I call on the supervisory authorities to identify areas of corruption, and hold the corrupt accountable.
We urge the international community to put pressure, to resume oil production.
We hope to conduct elections next March, according to a constitutional base.
I am afraid that some will enter into political dialogue, and attempt to disrupt the elections.
Thousands of Libyans demonstrated on Sunday and Monday in Tripoli to express their anger at the deteriorating living conditions and corruption. Security forces opened live fire on the demonstrators. The United Nations called for an urgent and comprehensive investigation.