Warning of truck drivers protesting after lifting fuel subsidies in Libya

The Minister of Interior in charge of the National Unity Government calls on all cities and regions to stand with the Ministry of Interior to achieve security and prevent smuggling operations.

Al-Arab London – In parallel with the state of anger caused by the outgoing Government of National Unity in Libya’s move to cancel fuel subsidies, protests and strikes by truck drivers escalated in most parts of the country, due to the scarcity of diesel fuel and the imposition of illegal royalties on them.

Although the Ministry of the Interior of the National Unity Government announced that solutions had been reached, observers of local affairs warned of the danger of continuing protests by freight drivers, which would paralyze the movement of goods in the country.

In an effort to control the situation, the Interior Minister-designate in the National Unity Government, Imad Trabelsi, announced that clear and frank solutions had been reached regarding the crisis of truck drivers’ sit-ins.

This came during a press conference held after his meeting with representatives of unions and associations for trucks and transport vehicles.

The Minister-designate confirmed that “the Brega Company will provide fuel to all stations, with insurance from the security services, in addition to activating an emergency room, to communicate and report any violations to which truck drivers are exposed,” stressing that “forcing public road users to pay royalties in exchange for allowing them to pass is contradictory.” According to the laws, he pointed out that “taxes and fees are imposed only by law,” according to a statement on the ministry’s Facebook page.

Local affairs observers have warned of the danger of continuing protests by freight drivers, which will paralyze the movement of goods in the country

Trabelsi called for granting powers to the police regarding regulating traffic on the roads, especially the gates and joint security posts, pointing out that traffic violations are issued by the competent authority of the Ministry of Interior, the Municipal Guard and Customs.

He also announced the formation of a committee from the Ministry of Interior to clear the highways of any security and military components, noting that security stops are within the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Interior, saying that he issued instructions to all security components to control violations and those involved in them, in addition to striving to provide fuel at all stations, and not to tolerate violations. Violators, especially in fuel smuggling operations.

Trabelsi called on all cities and regions to stand with the Ministry of Interior to achieve security and prevent smuggling operations, noting that selling fuel on public roads is against the law.

On Tuesday morning, Major General Imad Trabelsi met at the Ministry’s office with members of unions and associations for trucks and transport vehicle drivers, in the presence of the Undersecretaries of the Ministry of Interior for Public Affairs and Directorate Affairs, members of the Committee for Addressing the Fuel and Gas Crisis, and the Roads and Bridges Authority.

During the meeting, the problems facing truck drivers were discussed, and solutions were developed to ensure enhancing the citizen’s right to movement and use of public facilities, in addition to discussing the problems they face regarding the supply of diesel fuel, and the resulting difficulties in movement and the high prices for transporting goods. Proposing solutions for them by communicating with the authorities concerned with providing it, and establishing a mechanism for truck drivers to obtain it.

Truck drivers in Zliten and Misrata denounced their exposure to the imposition of royalties and taxes by members of security forces outside the law.

The Ministry of Interior said, in a statement on its official Facebook page, that the Minister stressed that forcing users of public roads to pay money in exchange for allowing them to pass is against the laws, indicating that taxes and fees are imposed only by law, and directing his instructions to security directors and heads of security services and departments on the necessity of pursuing… Royalty collectors, take measures to enhance the citizen’s right to movement and use public facilities, oblige security personnel working at security points to follow legal procedures, and follow up on them by their subordinates, to prevent such practices.

The Minister also stressed that the Ministry of Interior, through its competent components, and in cooperation with the relevant authorities in the state, is fully prepared to solve these problems and alleviate the suffering of transport truck drivers.

For his part, Vice President of the Al-Khoms Transport Syndicate, Hussein Al-Mishiat, said in statements to the “Libya Al-Ahrar” channel, that the truck drivers’ sit-in will continue until their demands are met.

Al-Mishiyat added that the union is not satisfied with the sit-in despite the legitimate demands of the drivers, given its negative effects on the citizen and the transportation sector, he said.

He explained, “The drivers’ demands include the need to provide fuel, allocate fuel stations for poultry farms and bakeries, in addition to addressing load scales and illegal violations committed by some checkpoint personnel on drivers.”

A group of cargo truck drivers in Tobruk demanded the return of their stolen rights. In a statement, the drivers called for their respect, given the humiliation they are subjected to in some cities, demanding the necessity of providing the necessary fuel at the stations spread out on public roads.

They stressed “the importance of the traffic police and security gate personnel adhering to the security violations specified in the law,” and described the violations they are exposed to as “theft,” and demanded identifying places for paying customs weight taxes at land ports, as they are the authority authorized to do so.

In Sabratha, a number of truck and mobile tanker drivers in the western region announced that they were entering into an open sit-in against the backdrop of the royalties being taken from them at some security points, and the lack of diesel fuel at the stations.

In a protest, the protesters announced that they were being subjected to arbitrary measures, such as violations that they described as “arbitrary,” and demanded a reconsideration of some laws related to third-class driver’s licenses. The protesters confirmed that their sit-in will continue in all regions and cities, west, east and south, until their demands are implemented.

Truck drivers in Zliten and Misrata also denounced their exposure to the imposition of royalties and taxes by members of security forces outside the law. This was announced by truck drivers in Al-Qarabulli, Al-Asaba, Sorman, Tarhuna, Bani Walid, Al-Qawalish region, Sidi Al-Sayeh, the four sub-districts, Bir Al-Ghanam, Al-Hira, Souq Al-Khamis, Imsahil, Al-Awata region, and Qasr Bin Ghashir. .

The Office of the Attorney General, Counselor Al-Siddiq Al-Sour, announced that it had directed its agents to pursue illegal royalty collectors in the central region, and to take the necessary measures to repel their deviation against truck drivers.

Al-Sur said, “Private property is protected, and taxes and fees are imposed only by law,” during a meeting he held with the head of the Law Enforcement Department Branch in the Central Region, in which he discussed reports indicating that some members of the Ministry of Interior were forced to use some public roads to pay money in exchange for allowing them to pass.

The Public Prosecutor ordered an investigation into the incidents attributed to members of the components of the Ministry of Interior, entrusting the investigation into the aforementioned incidents to the Public Prosecutor’s agents in the jurisdiction of the Misrata Court of Appeal.