Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, the head of the Libyan interim Government of National Unity, once again rejected transferring power except through elections. During his attendance at the "Tripoli Forum for Government Communication," which opened on Saturday in the capital, Tripoli, he stated, "Libya will not be divided, and it will be one country in any case," adding that "it is God who brought me to lead the government."
Dbeibah continued, saying: "I love this country, and I work for its sake and for its people, and my slogan is no to wars and conflicts." He argued that the laws of the joint (6+6) committee between the House of Representatives and the State Council are tailored for specific individuals. He viewed the House of Representatives as "lacking legitimacy for years... and we do not want another transitional period," indicating that "a referendum on the constitution must occur first, as it is the path for Libyans." He reiterated: "I will not leave the position except for someone who wants to serve this people, and it is up to the Libyan people to choose their leaders… We accept any laws, provided they are fair," as he expressed.
Regarding his candidacy for the elections, Dbeibah stated that he does not have the sole decision to run for the upcoming presidential elections, noting that he will "consult his family and wife first." He considered that "the rules of the political game have not yet been established in a real way for him to decide whether to run or not."
As for Saif al-Islam, the second son of the late Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, running for office, Dbeibah clarified that he has no problem with Saif al-Islam if "he is approved by the Libyan people, and if he has no legal issues."
Dbeibah also defended Najla Mangoush, his dismissed foreign minister, following her controversial meeting with the Israeli foreign minister in Italy months ago, stating that Mangoush is a "national minister and was not a traitor." He described the Rome meeting as "accidental," and denied again having prior knowledge of this meeting, asserting, "We did not consider normalizing relations with Israel. If I had known about the meeting, I would not have left Mangoush alone, which would be dishonorable; I cannot abandon my minister."
Regarding accusations of neglecting Derna, which was devastated by Cyclone "Daniel," leaving hundreds dead, Dbeibah explained that he refrained from going to Derna to avoid creating any conflicts, claiming that all the support received by Derna at all levels was administered from Tripoli. He also asserted that he contributed to stopping the war in Libya, "after it had been black and dark."
In another context, Dbeibah stated that he discussed with Italian Minister of Economy and Finance, Giancarlo Giorgetti, ways to enhance and develop bilateral relations between Libya and Italy in the fields of oil and energy, in addition to discussing ways to activate the agreement of the joint friendship treaty between the two countries.
