Libyan Interior Minister asked to send 169 million euros to Turkey
The Central Bank of Libya, controlled by the Government of National Unity (GNA) led by Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj, was ordered to transfer approximately 169 million euros to the account of a Turkish company called SSTEK Defense Industry Technologies Inc, established in 2016 as a subsidiary of the Eurasian nation's defense industry, according to the local media Libya Review. According to the publication, which cites leaked documents, GNA Interior Minister Fathi Bashaga asked Central Bank Governor Al Sadeeq Al-Kabeer to deposit the amount in SSTEK's account, not as a credit but as a direct transfer. As the head of the Audit Bureau, Khaled Shakshak, explained, "due to the state of emergency in the country, exceptions will be granted and imports from SSTEK will be exempted from normal procedures," which would explain this unusual move by the financial institution.
However, the controversy has arisen because the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, heads the Executive Committee of the Defence Industry of Turkey - BMC Turkish Industry and Trade - which owns 55% of the shares of SSTEK, so some kind of link could be established between the amount of money and the Presidency of the Eurasian nation.
It should be remembered at this point that the flow of money between the Sarraj government and the Ankara government has been a regular feature in recent times, especially after Turkey increased its military presence in Libya by sending equipment and Syrian mercenaries to support the struggle of the GNA, which is facing the Libyan National Liberation Army (LNA), commanded by Marshal Khalifa Haftar.
In fact, the publication of this information comes just one day after it became known that Sarraj has paid Erdogan some $12 billion to "stay in power". As reported by the Libyan Review on Sunday, the Libyan Prime Minister's government deposited $4 billion in the Central Bank of Turkey, along with another $8 billion to pay for the cost of the Turkish military intervention, with various Turkish units and weapons systems, mercenaries and Syrian terrorists. Each militiaman - it is estimated that more than 13,000 have already passed through Libyan territory - charges about 1,500 dollars a month; and Ankara has deployed more than 70 drones in the country, with a price of 5 million dollars for each unmanned plane, according to analyst Daniel Abascal in Atalayar.
Three weeks ago, Erdogan and Sarraj announced total victory over the capital, Tripoli, which had been besieged by LNA forces for 14 months. During these 20 days, the details of the new agreement signed between the two administrations for the reconstruction of Libya have become known, including the transfer to Turkey of two military bases in the country - still under negotiation - the exploitation of plants for Libyan energy resources, above all oil and gas, the construction of infrastructures, such as roads, and the reactivation of the banking system. In total, according to Arab News, the accumulation of Turkish contracts in Libya amounts to $16 billion, including $400-500 million for projects that have not yet begun.