TRIPOLI, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamed Dbeibah on Monday demanded full disclosure of more than 100 billion dinars (around 18 billion U.S. dollars) in what he described as "parallel expenditures" by the eastern-based authorities over the past two years, escalating tensions between the country's rival administrations.
Speaking during a meeting with members of the Tripoli-based High Council of State, Dbeibah called on Aguila Saleh, speaker of the eastern-based House of Representatives, to account for the spending, which he said posed a threat to Libya's financial stability.
Dbeibah said his administration "categorically rejects any parallel public spending outside the legitimate framework," warning that such practices burden the economy with unsustainable debt and inflate public liabilities without delivering real services.
The eastern-based parliament, based in Benghazi, held its own session on Monday to review a draft budget and consider a three-year development plan for 2025-2027. Lawmakers also discussed allocations for a Reconstruction and Development Fund under its administration.
Libya has remained fractured since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi. The country is currently split between Dbeibah's internationally recognized government in Tripoli and a parallel administration in the east backed by the Libyan National Army led by commander Khalifa Haftar, a close ally of Speaker Saleh.
Last week, Saleh renewed calls for the formation of a unified government to oversee long-delayed national elections, intensifying the power struggle with Dbeibah's Tripoli-based administration.
Following recent clashes between rival armed groups in the capital, Saleh said Dbeibah must step aside "voluntarily or by force," accusing him of obstructing the electoral process. Enditem
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