The Head of the Presidential Council, Fayez Al-Sarraj, has urged the Central Bank of Libya to speed the process of granting letters of credit to import sufficient flour to cover the markets' demand.

In a letter to the Central Bank of Libya's Governor, Al-Sarraj warned that the Government of National Accord would have to interfere to save "the lives of citizens" and keep social security and safety in place by using the assets of Libyan Foreign Bank to import flour, saying the situation is now leading the country into a "food crisis".

The general syndicate of bakers and bakeries in Tripoli shut down all bakeries in the city starting Saturday due to increased prices of bread ingredients.

The head of the syndicate, Kharis Mohammad, said after a meeting held Saturday to discuss the increased prices and the state authorities' orders that compel bakeries to sell bread with non-increased prices.

Many bakeries closed Saturday in Tripoli, which was justified by the head of the syndicate, saying the closure took place after bakers were obliged to sell bread with new prices "Three bread pieces for one Libyan dinar", and added that the increased prices of flour is linked to lack of supply by the mills' company.

"The prices of wheat increased globally by 40% and the new exchange rate of the Libyan dinar to US dollar didn't exclude our sector." The head of the syndicate indicated, expressing fears that bakeries will experience awful conditions in the coming period of state authorities didn't resolve the problem.