The speaker of the House of Representatives in Libya, Aguila Saleh, sets his conditions for the resumption of oil production blocked for more than three weeks. He assured Richard Norland, the American ambassador and special envoy to Libya, during a meeting on Sunday May 8 in Cairo, that the oil fields and terminals will be reopened once a mechanism for the equitable distribution of oil revenues on all regions of the country will be installed.
Despite American pressure, a resumption of oil production, blocked for three weeks, does not seem to be on the agenda in Libya. As things stand, the western Libyan camp opposes the distribution of oil-generated wealth. As for the East, it uses, as usual, this sinews of war to exert pressure and win its case.
Unpaid wages
Since April 17, tribes loyal to the government of Fathi Bachagha have blocked oil production. Stated reason: to protest against their unpaid wages.
The Dbeibah government, said to be of national unity, has suspended the salaries of public sector employees in the South and East for several months like those of the Libyan national army, led by Khalifa Haftarin contradiction with the Geneva agreement.
► To read: In Libya, a power struggle between two Prime Ministers
Prime Minister Bachaghaappointed by Parliament to replace his outgoing adversary, presented a draft budget of 95 billion dinars, or more than 18 billion euros for 2022.
A parliamentary session dedicated to this subject took place on Monday May 9 in Tobruk in the presence of only around forty deputies. The session should resume on Tuesday but it seems very difficult to get the chorum due to the deep divisions that have reappeared with the renewed struggle for power.