Among a number of meetings held by the UN Adviser in Libya, Stephanie Williams, with the Libyan groups, institutions, public authorities, parties and organizations, Williams met with a group of members of some parties and entities and the Secretary-General of the Libyan Workers Union.
During this meeting, Williams confirmed that the UN mission is still committed to the road map that was adopted in the Geneva Agreement and approved and ratified by the international community and the Security Council, which is based on holding elections and postponing the constitutional process to become the responsibility of the new elected House of Representatives.
Williams said that the obstacles facing holding the elections are not great, and they can be overcome, but they need social pressure and from the political blocs supporting the holding of the elections and from civil society institutions in Libya.
And Williams continued, saying, “The fact that we have reached is that the existing bodies, the Parliament, the Supreme Council of State, the Presidential Council, the Government of National Unity, and a number of political and military entities are benefiting from the status quo, and they have no real will to hold elections, neither parliamentary nor presidential.
Williams referred to the position of the Libyan judiciary, which said that until this moment it is not clear about the candidates, and that we do not think that there are real obstacles facing the parliamentary elections, and in the end they should be held as an entitlement according to the road map and the right of 2.8 million voters who aspire to the elections. They expressed this by registering in the voters’ register and receiving election cards.
“Williams” said, “I spoke with Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbaiba, and I was frank with him, and I told him that you pledged not to run, and this is a pledge before the Libyan people, before the UN mission, and before the countries participating in the Libyan political tracks, and you have to abide by it.”
And “Williams” added during the meeting, that I spoke to him about his cessation of work and I told him that it is not right for you to be a candidate once and the other time a prime minister and practice your duties, and I assured him that returning to your work means your withdrawal from the candidacy, and this is what we confirmed that all the military and civilians presidential candidates, to continue to stop performing their duties, until the issue of the elections is decided.
“Williams” stressed that if elections are not held, this means that we have failed in our mission, as well as politicians, civil society institutions, the government and the Presidential Council have failed in the tasks assigned to them.
According to one of the attendees of the meeting, “Williams” demanded at the end of the meeting, the necessity of applying pressure and peacefully on all parties in order to hold elections.
