Members of the High Council of State (HCS) confirmed Wednesday that the Libyan draft constitution is owned only by the Libyan people and they are the only ones who can approve or reject it.
In a letter to the UNSMIL's Head, Ghassan Salame, the HCS members said Libya will go into chaos if it entered a fourth transitional phase, adding that the preparations for elections should go in line with the preparations for a referendum for the constitution.
"The constitution final call has been determined by the vote of the Constitution Drafting Assembly, which was elected by the people and is regulated by the constitutional declaration and the Libyan Political Agreement." HCS members' letter reads.
Last Wednesday, Salame briefed the UN Security Council about the Libyan crisis, saying there are parties who want to hold elections before finishing with the constitution referendum.
He stressed time and time again on the need to hold elections before the end of 2018, without stressing the need of a referendum on the constitution, which has been seen as shelving the constitution and focusing on the elections that could kick-start a new transitional phase.
Meanwhile, the Arab League's envoy to Libya, Salaheddine Jamali, said Libyans should look for a new constitution as the current draft is widely rejected, which stirred controversy in Libya, with some politicians believing the statement as a flagrant intervention in Libya's affairs.
Jamali corrected himself later, explaining what he meant was that Libyans could amend the constitution draft before the referendum.
