Election roadmap to be announced in 2 days: Libyan PM

By Walid Abdullah

TRIPOLI, Libya (AA) – Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh said a roadmap for conducting Libya’s stalled elections in June will be announced within two days.

“The roadmap for holding the elections in June will be announced Saturday or the day after,” Dbeibeh said at a ceremony marking the 11th anniversary of the 2011 Libyan revolution that toppled Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi.

He reiterated his rejection of transitional periods, stressing that the polls are the only option for Libyans.

"You (Libyans) decide the elections, and the world must hear this voice and what the people want, and we tell everyone YES to the elections, NO to the transitional periods,” he said.

"We can't fight anymore, and whoever wants to bring us back to fight, we tell them NO to war and YES to peace. Our goal today is to achieve stability by holding elections."

Libya’s polls were scheduled to take place on Dec. 24 but were postponed amid disagreements between political rivals. No new date for the vote has been agreed.

Last week, the House of Representatives named former Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha to form a new government.

Dbeibeh, however, rejected the parliament’s move, saying that he will hand over power only to an elected government.

The UN said it still recognizes Dbeibeh as Libya's interim prime minister.

* Writing by Ibrahim Mukhtar in Ankara