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| Africa North |
| Al-Thinni "will stay as Prime Minister" says GNC member |
| 2014-03-18 |
| [Libya Herald] Abdullah Al-Thinni, the current "caretaker" Prime Minister is likely to remain in post until the end of term of the General National Congress (GNC), one Congressman told the Libya Herald today. "There are a lot of candidates for Prime Minister but because of arguments between GNC members it is not easy to agree on any one person," the Congressman said, speaking on condition of anonymity ... for fear of being murdered... . "I think Thinni will remain in this position for a long time." Thinni was sworn in as a "caretaker" Prime Minister last week after the GNC passed a vote of no-confidence on former Prime Minister Ali Zeidan ... served as a diplomat for Libya during the 1970s, serving in India under Ambassador Mohammed Magariaf. Both men defected in 1980 and went on to form the National Front for the Salvation of Libya. Zeidan spent nearly three decades in exile in Geneva after the defection. During the revolution Zeidan served as the National Transitional Council's Europe envoy, and is credited as having played a key role in persuading French President Nicolas Sarkozy to support the anti-Qadaffy forces... Doubts still hang over the vote that ousted Zeidan, with opponents calling into question the legality of the vote. Zeidan himself said, in a televised interview on Saturday, that the vote of no-confidence was illegal, saying that the required quorum to dismiss him was not reached. Only 113 Congress members voted in the sitting, he said, with extra votes added later. GNC spokesperson Omar Hemeidan, however, told Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper that the vote was legal and had been recorded. He called Zeidan's comments on TV inappropriate for a former Prime Minister. "If Zeidan has any doubts about the decision, he can appeal it in front of the Supreme Constitutional Court," said Hemeidan. "If he does not recognise the decision he should follow the legal path instead of talking through the media". Some members of Congress themselves are also in disagreement over the vote. Congressman Ibrahim Abdulaziz Sahad told the Libya Herald that he had attended the sitting and confirmed that 121 GNC members voted to withdraw confidence in Zeidan. Another three members who were outside the hall then cast their votes, he said, taking the number up to 124. |
| Posted by:Fred |