The Foreign Ministry has denied what was stated in the Audit Bureau's report regarding the increase in the expenses of missions abroad by more than 10 million dinars during the years 2018-2019. "The ministry had received no official note or reports from the Audit Bureau in this regard," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement Friday. It indicated that it has been rationalizing public spending by reducing the number of delegates and salaries, which was not done by previous governments. The Foreign Ministry also denied increasing the number of missions in 2019 to 150 from 138 in 2018, confirming that no embassy has been opened abroad since 2011. Earlier, the head of the Audit Bureau, Khaled Shakshak, called for pausing the implementation of the decision to dispatch 171 foreign employees to the Libyan diplomatic missions abroad, while demanding the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide him with its plan regarding reducing the number of Libyan missions and consulates abroad.

Source: Libya Observer February 13, 2021 09:45 UTC