On 25 October, the Misrata Chamber of Commerce and merchants and business owners in Misrata staged a peaceful protest outside the Attorney General’s office to oppose the Government of National Unity (GNU) Minister of Economy and Trade’s Decision no. 42 of 2025, which prohibits imports except through banking transactions approved by the Central Bank of Libya (CBL). Given the difficult economic conditions the country is experiencing and the deteriorating banking situation – they emphasised in a statement – implementing decision no. 42 would lead to ‘disastrous consequences, including a complete halt to trade.’ Protesters demanded the immediate reversal of the decision, fair access to hard currency, and greater involvement of private sector actors in shaping economic policy. They also called for an investigation into alleged discrimination and lack of transparency in foreign currency allocation, warning that continued restrictions could paralyze the economy and erode investor confidence.
