Italy remains committed to "the complete stabilisation" of Libya and needs to hold "free, fair and credible elections" as soon as possible, according to premier Mario Draghi.
"In Libya, our commitment is to the complete stabilisation of Libya according to the roadmap backed by the United Nations," Draghi told a conference of Italian ambassadors on Tuesday at the foreign ministry.
"This is a process that must be Libyan-led and which the international community must support and accompany," Draghi continued.
Draghi's comments came as the head of Libya’s High National Electoral Commission on Tuesday ordered the dissolution of the electoral committees nationwide. The move that effectively postpones the presidential elections slated for 24 December amid growing tensions in recent weeks within the country’s political and security apparatus.
"Despite the postponement of the 24 December vote, it is important that free, fair, credible and inclusive elections be held as soon as possible," Draghi stated.
"These can unite the country and lead to a lasting peace. The stabilisation of Libya is crucial also in order to control migration," Draghi underlined.
Under the UN-backed roadmap, the 24 December polls were envisaged as a way to end disputes over the legitimacy of war-torn Libya’s rival political bodies which were formed during earlier transitional periods after the 2011 ouster of late dictator Muammar Gaddafi.
