The Head of the High National Elections Commission (HNEC), Emad Al-Sayeh, confirmed on Friday that the Commission was not yet ready to conduct elections in Libya, due to a lack of resources.
In his statements to Channel 218, Al-Sayeh stressed that in the event of the continued absence of support for the committee, it would be incapable of holding any elections. He explained that the commission was unable to manage its routine work, due to a lack of funding.
Al-Sayeh expected that the Libyan people would take part in any forthcoming elections in the country. He expressed surprise at the call of the Prime Minister of Government of National Accord (GNA), Fayez Al-Sarraj, to conduct elections next March, given that the minimum budget has not been submitted to the committee so far.
“The Government of National Accord has been exerting pressure on the Electoral Commission for five years, until it became unable to manage its routine affairs,” he added. He added that current government practices prevent the commission from holding any elections in 2021 and stressed the government’s inability to support any electoral process.
The head of the HNEC indicated that the lack of funding prevents it from carrying out its role in informing voters regarding the laws, candidacy conditions, and electoral systems.
On August 21, the PM called for presidential and parliamentary elections to be held next March, based on a constitutional rule agreed upon by the people. He also called for an immediate ceasefire, an end to all military operations, as well as a resumption of oil production.