A reliable source revealed to MENA Research and Study Center the fate of some of the missing Libyan money, stressing that the head of the Government of National Accord has recently paid the sum of $12 billion to the Turkish government, in return for its direct intervention in the military operations that took place around the capital Tripoli.
In his exclusive statements for MENA Research and Study Center, the source confirmed that the amount was delivered in several payments, $8 b of the sum were deposited in the Turkish Central Bank, while $4 b were paid in cash to the Turkish government.
Earlier this year, Turkey announced its direct military intervention in Libya in favor of the Accord Government, close to the Muslim Brotherhood, after the progress achieved by the Libyan army on several fronts against the forces supporting the Accord Government.
Elections and Cash Crisis
According to the source, the bulk of the amount was given as a deposit due to the Turkish government attempts to improve its position in the Turkish street, especially as the Turkish opposition has become stronger facing the upcoming elections in the year 2023. A large number of the AKP leaders have moved to the opposition camp, Ahmet Davutoglu and former Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan are topping the list.
During the past two days, the US dollar has recorded a new record against the Turkish lira, as its exchange rate reached 6.84 liras, amid expectations that it could continue to rise during the coming period.
Additionally, the source points out that the government in Turkey have concerns regarding the impact of the economic crisis on the electoral situation and the decreasing popularity of the AKP party. The indicators of economy have witnessed a significant deterioration in various sectors, in conjunction with high rates of poverty and unemployment. Due to this crisis, AKP might lose a large part of its power, particularly in light of its defeat in the last municipal elections, in which it lost control of the Istanbul and Ankara municipality.
The Turkish Statistics Authority has previously indicated that poverty rates in Turkey rose to 37.5 % in 2019, after they were 18 % in 2002, when the AKP Party came to power.
Kidnapped Bank
Transferring the funds from Libya to Turkey, is one reason behind the Turkish support for the Accord government, and the main reason behind the government of National Accord’s attempts to control the Central Bank of Libya at any price, the source explains, indicating that the bank has turned over the past years into a battlefield, during which the Accord Government tried to impose figures close to the Muslim Brotherhood to control the bank.
Ramzi Agha, the head of the liquidity committee in the Libyan bank, believes that the bank was kidnapped by the Government of National Accord and the Muslim Brotherhood.
The Libyan army spokesman, Major General Ahmed Al-Mismari revealed that more than 50 billion Libyan dinars were smuggled to Turkey and more than $ 2 billion of central bank money were spent in one day to fund Turkish military operations.
The attempts to control the bank started in 2018, according to the source, following a series of decisions issued by the head of the Accord Government, Fayez al-Sarraj, through which he allowed the Islamic movements to control the economic key structure of the state by appointing the leader of the Justice and Construction Party, Fathi Akoup Secretary of the bank’s board of directors and MB leader Tariq Al-Maqrif board member in the bank.
