The Libyan House of Representatives announced its rejection of the statement of the embassies of 4 European countries and the United States in Tripoli, which called for the elections to be held on time and warned against making changes after calls for the election of a new president for the High Commission that will oversee the elections, and the Supreme Council of State in Libya was surprised by the Western invitation.

In a statement on Friday, the Libyan parliament considered the statement issued by the embassies of the five western countries (the United States, Germany, Italy, Britain and France) as a transgression rejected by the ambassadors of the countries that issued it.

The statement of the representatives added that the Western statement does not serve the national consensus that was achieved in Libya, which was welcomed and supported locally and internationally.

For its part, the Supreme Council of State in Libya was surprised by the statement of the five western countries, which called for non-changes in positions related to the elections, and considered it an interference in the country's internal affairs.

"The violation of sovereignty is not only committed by mercenaries, but also by trying to impose external dictations," the Supreme Council’s statement added.

Despite the High Council of State in Libya stressing the necessity of holding elections on time, the council at the same time stressed that the independence of the Libyan decision is something that cannot be compromised.

The Council called on ambassadors of foreign countries not to go beyond their work tasks set by diplomatic norms, to observe the laws of the host country and abide by them, and not to jump over them under any pretext.

The statement of Western countries said that the time is not the right time to make changes that would disrupt the bodies that have a primary role in preparing for the elections (Al-Jazeera)

Western countries statement

And 4 European countries and the United States had said that the current time in Libya is not appropriate to make any changes that would disrupt the bodies that have a fundamental role in preparing for the elections, according to the timetable set by Security Council Resolution 2570.

The embassies of the United States, Britain, France, Italy and Germany said - in a joint statement Thursday - that they remember that the UN Security Council “called on the Libyan authorities and institutions, including the Government of National Unity and the House of Representatives, to facilitate the elections of December 24, 2021, and agree on the constitutional basis and basis. Legal elections by July 1, 2021. "

The statement pointed out that, "In addition to the political and security arrangements, technical and logistical preparations are important and essential," at a time when the national unity government has not yet begun preparing for the elections, even though it is the primary mission of this government.

The five embassies warned that "the time is not appropriate to make any changes that would disrupt the relevant bodies, which have a fundamental role in preparing for the elections, within the timetable set by the UN Security Council."

This call comes in conjunction with the Technical Committee in the House of Representatives to select candidates for the presidency of sovereign positions, including the Supreme National Elections Commission.

It is noteworthy that the Libyan parties elected - under the auspices of the United Nations, during a meeting held in Geneva in early February - a new unified executive authority.

The new political authority is represented by a national unity government headed by Abdel Hamid Dabaiba and a presidential council led by Mohamed Al-Manfi, charged with - under a UN-sponsored roadmap - to end the political division and lead the transitional phase, and to prepare for presidential and legislative elections on December 24 next.