President of Libyan HoR criticizes Martin Kobler head of UNSMIL

The President of the Libyan House of Representatives (HoR), Ageelah Saleh, has openly criticized Martin Kobler, Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) in Libya and head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).

In an interview with Jordan-based 218 TV, Saleh claimed Kobler had a specific agenda he planned to implement and wanted to set a record by gaining credit for solving Libya's crisis. Saleh said: "Kobler has shifted himself from the head of UNSMIL to the ruler of Libya." Saleh also claimed that Faiez Serraj, the PM of the UN-brokered Government of National Accord (GNA), was a "tool in the hands of Martin Kobler" saying: "I think Sirraj is not the right person to lead this government because of his mistakes. His actions are directed by Martin Kobler." Saleh also said that the seven members of the Presidency Council who came to Tripoli on board a Libyan frigate had come as far as Libyan territorial waters on an Italian frigate. Saleh is under sanction by the EU.

There is supposed to be a meeting of the HoR next week to approve the GNA and also to pass an amendment to the constitutional declaration of 2011. Given this criticism there is some doubt that the vote will take place or if it does that the GNA will be approved.

Saleh was not the only one to criticize the GNA. The General National Congress (GNC) which was supposedly dissolved at a meeting of the State Council in Tripoli a while back, recently met in Tripoli at its headquarters. It called for reformation of the UN-brokered GNA saying that it has become a rival of the other two governments and is trying to topple its competitors. The GNC complained that the Presidential Council of the GNA did not abide by the provisions of the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) signed at Skhirat Morocco on December 17th:“Skhirat dialogue can be a good ground for a real concord once all its parties become committed to the principles of accord and abandoned using force to impose things on others..We are still with the dialogue that brings all Libyans together and finds a very balanced solution to the crisis. Therefore, using power and force by some political parties goes at odds with the real accord.”The GNC rejected the meeting in Tripoli by members of the GNC who were the State Council and who had declared the GNC dissolved. The GNC also passed a decision ordering the Salvation Government to continue its work. The session was chaired by president Nuri Abusahmain and addressed by the prime minister of the Salvation Government Khalifa Ghwell. Meanwhile, the State Council is said to have ordered that all Libyan institutions stop any dealings with the GNC.