Issa Al-Araibi, the Head of the House of Representatives’ Energy Committee has threatened to shut down the country’s oil port in protest against foreign interference in the country, particularly that of Turkey.
Al-Araibi told the press that foreign nations are “exploiting” the “fragile situation” of the Tripoli government. In turn, he claimed that the government is “ready to sell the sea and land in Libya in exchange for remaining in power.”
Earlier this month, the Tripoli government and Turkey signed hydrocarbons agreement which foresees drilling activities by Ankara in Libyan waters.
The sparked strong opposition from the Libyan Parliament, Greece and Egypt and criticism from the European Union and the United States. It is in fact based on the agreement for the demarcation of maritime borders signed in November 2019 in Istanbul by the former Libyan Government of National Accord.
Last Thursday, the European Parliament called on Libya and Turkey “not to implement any clause” included in the two countries’ bilateral agreement on hydrocarbons. It also called on the Tripoli government to “cancel the 2019 Turkey – Libya Memorandum of Understanding on the delimitation of maritime jurisdictions in the Mediterranean Sea.”
At the same time, the European policymakers also called on “all actors in Libya to refrain from using oil as an instrument of political confrontation and keep all wells and oil terminals open.”
EU Parliament warns Libya against “illegal drilling” in Mediterranean based on Turkey deal