Tripoli, Libya (BBN)- The top United Nations envoy for Libya has welcomed the announcement by the country’s electoral body that legislative elections will be held on 7 July.
“This is an important step in Libya’s road to recovery and democracy. It sets in motion the final stages of a historic process for Libyans to freely choose their own representatives for the first time in over four decades,” said the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Ian Martin.
“The date announced by the Commission will enable essential preparations to be completed prior to voting,” he added in a statement on Monday, welcoming the announcement of the new date by the High National Election Commission.
Some 2.7 million people in the North African nation have registered to vote for members of a new National Congress, which will be tasked with drafting a new constitution for Libya.
The polls, which were originally slated to be held in late June, will be the first free elections in decades in Libya, where Muammar al-Gadhafi ruled for more than 40 years until a pro-democracy uprising last year led to civil war and the deposing of his regime.
BBN/SSR/AD-12June12-10:30 am (BST)
