Fathi Bashagha, who was appointed by the east-based House of Representatives as the prime minister, said he would like to lead the government from Tripoli but will do it from Sirte as it is currently not possible.
Noting that Sirte connects the country’s east and west to the south, Bashagha said the city is relatively neutral and is hostility free.
“We would like to carry out our duties without shedding a single drop of blood from Tripoli, but if this is not possible, then we can do it from Sirte,” he said Wednesday.
Bashagha also said they have launched an initiative that aims to reunite the Libyan people, as he accused Tripoli-based interim Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah of obstructing the country’s path to elections and extending his term in office.
Dbeibah was installed a year ago through a United Nations-backed process and says his government remains valid and he will only cede power after a rescheduled election that he says he will hold in June.
Parliament has declared that Dbeibah's term expired when the December election did not take place as planned, and the chamber has instead chosen Bashagha to lead a new transition with elections to follow next year.
Parliament's position is backed by the eastern-based putschist Gen. Khalifa Haftar, who waged a 14-month war on Tripoli from 2019 to 2020. Armed factions in the capital and western regions appear divided over the crisis, with some saying on Tuesday they opposed parliament's move to install a new government.
Bashagha, a former interior minister, said he was committed to holding elections within the time frame next year set out by Parliament, adding that he wanted to achieve agreement between rival political institutions on the issue.
Disputes over basic rules for the election led to the collapse of the planned vote in December.
