One source said a quorum was present but that federalist and pro-Haftar MPs disrupted the planned session. There were also rioters outside the parliament. The attendance record was withdrawn and doors of the meeting hall were closed. An MP from the western region was beaten up and other western MPs were told to go back to Tripoli or they would be detained. I should note that reports with unnamed sources and not confirmed are to be taken with a grain of salt.
MP Mustafa Shagoor said there were more than 150 MPs present but they were unable to meet. He said that president Ageela Saleh did not show up at the meeting so they decided to call the planned session off. The so-called “spoilers” are demanding that article 8 of the LPA be canceled and that guarantees be given that General Khalifa Haftar remain army chief. Article 8 gives the function of commander in chief of the Libyan National Army(LNA) to the Presidential Council removing General Haftar. There is no way that the LPA can be amended without first being passed as it is by the HoR. So far Kobler does not seem to have been able to reach a deal with federalists and Haftar loyalists about this problem.
A tweet confirms the demands of those opposed and adds to it: Daghari: GNA opponents demand removal of art.8 of LPA add. provisions & say GNA should not be entitled to appoint high-level decision-makers
There are reports that there is a committee composed of equal numbers from both sides who are attempting to draw up an agreement. This tweet describes the situation:
@LibyaschannelEN
There is no word about when the next attempt at a vote will be made. I cannot understand how these meetings are taking place without proper security or why Saleh is not attending. The HoR is to be the legislature of the GNA. How will it to be able to function given that it cannot have proper meetings in Tobruk let alone Tripoli?
MP Khalifa alDaghari: Side talks continue btwn pro-& anti-#GNA #HoR members.A 6+6 committee starts its work tonight to bring about consensus
Kobler also tweeted before leaving Tobruk: Leaving tobruk after long meeting with president agila. Urged him to do his utmost to bring about HoR vote on GNA
In a recent press release Kobler made it clear that there is no alternative to the GNA and he is receiving a constant stream of international cheerleaders who pledge their support for the GNA and in a meeting with UK Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond, Hammond pledged his support for the GNA and urged the HoR to vote confidence in it. Recently, French, Italian, and German foreign ministers pledged support for the GNA and promised aid to it on all levels. It seems that the whole international community has too much invested, in what may lead to a disastrous breakup of Libya, to change direction.
