Amid ongoing disputes over the mechanisms for approving Libya’s general budget, conflicting statements from members of the High Council of State and the House of Representatives have highlighted the political divide between the legislative bodies in Tripoli and Benghazi.
In a recent interview with Fawasel, Amina Al-Mahjoub, a member of the High Council of State, criticized Speaker of the House of Representatives Aguila Saleh. She described his actions as “improvised” and “unbefitting of his role as Speaker.” Al-Mahjoub also pointed out inconsistencies in Saleh’s statements regarding budget approval powers and noted that State Council members were not informed about the budget.
Al-Mahjoub questioned the rationale behind forming a joint financial committee between the two councils to draft the general budget if the House of Representatives holds sole authority to approve it.
Conversely, Osama Al-Shuaibi, a member of the House of Representatives, defended the House’s decision to approve the budget in his interview with Fawasel, despite his reservations about the process. Al-Shuaibi emphasized that the House of Representatives is the legitimate representative of the Libyan people, while the State Council is merely an advisory body with no authority to object to or vote on the budget.
Al-Shuaibi cited the Constitutional Declaration, asserting that it does not mandate the approval of any body other than the House of Representatives for the budget.
Last week, the House of Representatives approved a budget of $25 billion for the year 2024. The High Council of State condemned this decision, criticizing the House for unilaterally approving the budget without consulting them.
