ALBAWABA - The Libyan Parliament voted by majority to vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister, Fathi Bashagha, and referred him to investigation.
Libya's House of Representatives, located in Tobruk, in the far east of the country, voted in favor of suspending Bashagha after he was "unable to assume his position in Tripoli due to the refusal of Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, the incumbent, to cede power", according to Abdullah Blehaq, spokesperson for the house.
The House of Representatives votes to suspend the Prime Minister, Fathi #Bashagha, and refer him for investigation, and assign the Minister of Finance, Osama #Hammad, to run the duties of the prime minister, #HoR Spox announced.
The #Libya Update pic.twitter.com/QnhzCc2c5p— The Libya Update (@TheLibyaUpdate) May 16, 2023
The Minister of Finance, Osama Hammad, has been assigned to carry out the duties of the prime minister, in addition to his assumption of the Ministry of Finance.
Bashagha had earlier sent a letter to the House of Representative's members informing them that he delegated his deputy, Ali Qatrani, full authority.
Sources suggested that the decision to relieve the dismissed prime minister from his position came in the wake of the conflict between the parliament and Bashagha.
He has been accused of corruption following the disbursement of sums of money to the municipalities of western Libya. These municipalities do not belong to his government, but to the government of Dbeibeh.
The House of Representatives previously held an accountability session for Bashagha, and asked his ministers about a number of financial files, in March.
In June 2022, the Libyan parliament agreed to grant Bashagha's government a budget estimated at about $18 billion. It was disrupted due to the refusal of the Central Bank in Tripoli to liquidate this amount.
Since last year, a strong political struggle has been taking place between the Bashagha and Dbeibeh governments over legitimacy and power, and competition over public revenues.
