UN-proposed government’s ministers in the east refused to take office since they were appointed by the Presidential Council, which regarded their reluctance to assume office as an “implied resignation”.

The Presidential Council issued Friday four statements accepting the implied resignation of the Minister of National Reconciliation Abdeljawad Al-Obidi, Minister of Finance Fakhir Abu Farna, Minister of Economy Abdulmatloub Abu Farwa, and Minister of Justice, Juma Al-Dersi, who all come from the east.

“The ministers included in the resignation statements are those who were for long absent from work and refused to assume office.” The Presidential Council (PC) posted on Facebook.

The PC said the ministers are eligible for “implied resignation” as they had abstained from work for more than 30 days, however; the Libyan laws did not include ministers in laws related the absence from work or reluctance to go to work.

The eastern region ministers, assigned by the UN-proposed government, underwent a great deal of tribal pressure by their tribe’s elders, who support the renegade General Khalifa Haftar, to refuse the ministerial portfolios. Therefore, the ministers succumbed to the pressure and refused to travel to Tripoli and assume the jobs they were assigned by the Presidential Council.

However, a fifth eastern Minister, Mihdi Al-Barghathi - who is appointed as the defense minister of the UN-proposed government - is still working under the Presidential Council because his tribe (Awaqir) is at odds with Khalifa Haftar, who was angry at Al-Barghathi's acceptance of the UN-proposed government's appointment and abandoning his militias.