On 16 February, Turkish President Recep Erdogan upon returning from Dubai told reporters that: ‘Fathi Bashaagha has announced his candidacy. Our relations with him are good. On the other hand, our relations with Dabaiba are good, too.’ He added, ‘What is important is whom the Libyan people wish to choose and how’, concluding that ‘Forming an interim government for a year and a half is an inappropriate approach for Libya.’ Turkey has not issued a formal statement on the appointment of Bashaagha.
