HoR cancels LPA, withdraws recognition of Serraj government, refers Serraj and Ministers to justice for treason, cuts relations with Turkey and annuls Libya-Turkish agreement

By Sami Zaptia.

London, 4 January 2020:

Libya’s internationally recognized parliament, the House of Representatives (HoR), usually based in Tobruk, held an emergency session in Benghazi today specifically to discuss Libyan Turkish relations following the approval by Turkey’s parliament of a bill allowing the Recep Erdogan government to send troops to Libya.

This came in response to a request by the internationally recognized Faiez Serraj government based in Tripoli.

The official spokesperson for the HoR reported that in today’s rowdy session the HoR:

• Unanimously voted to cut relations with Turkey

• Annulled the recent Libya -Turkish security and military agreement

• Withdrew recognition of the (2015 Skhirat) Libyan Political Agreement and its resultant and internationally recognized Tripoli-based government (GNA) led by Faiez Serraj. It further called on the international community to likewise withdraw their recognition of the GNA.

• The HoR voted unanimously to refer the effective head of the internationally recognized government, Faiez Serraj, his Foreign Minister, Mohamed Siala, his Interior Minister, Fathi Bashagha and ‘‘all those who contributed to bringing colonialism to our country’’ to justice on charges of high treason.

• The House of Representatives voted unanimously on the authorization of the General Command of the (Khalifa Hafter-led) Armed Forces to disrupt airports, ports and land ports under the control of (Tripoli) militias.

• The House of Representatives approved the allocation of an emergency budget for its (Khalifa Hafter-led) armed forces worth LD 20 billion to be deducted from the state budget for 2020

• With a majority vote, it approved amending the name of the eastern-based Interim Libyan Government to become the Libyan government.

• It approved support to HoR Speaker Ageela Saleh for his planned foreign tours to encourage the withdrawal of international recognition of the Tripoli Government of National Accord.

• Invited members of the House of Representatives who were unable to attend today’s session to join the future sessions.

The HoR session involved about 50 members which does not constitute a quorum.

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