Poland welcomes possible new beginning in Libya

Scenes in central Tripoli, Sunday night; photo - EPA/STR

“The Polish Foreign Ministry welcomes the end of the 42 year rule of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in Libya,” reads a statement by ministry spokesman Marcin Bosacki.

Canada’s CBC broadcaster reports that the insurgents currently control 95 percent of the Libyan capital following an increase in NATO bombing and the takeover of an oil refinery and ammunitions dump near Tripoli over the weekend.

The Foreign Ministry assures that Poland will provide any assistance required by the Interim Provisional Council which would be responsibility for managing Libya’s transition into a fully fledged democracy, the statement continues.

The Foreign Ministry also said that it hoped that the Gaddafi regime would soon answer in a court of law for crimes committed against its own people.

President of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek tweeted this morning: “Today is a day of joy for Libya and entire region. Tripoli is about to be freed.”

“The struggle against the regime may end today but the struggle for democracy is only beginning,” Buzek, a former prime minister of Poland continued.

However, Reuters reports that forces loyal to Gaddafi have stationed tanks near his compound in central Tripoli and are resisting rebel attacks.

A rebel official told Reuters by telephone: "The situation is not stable. There is gunfire everywhere. Gaddafi's forces are using tanks at the port and Al Sarine street near [Gaddafi's compound at] Bab al-Aziziyah," the rebel official in Tripoli, who gave his name as Abdulrahman, said.

"The revolutionaries are positioned everywhere in Tripoli, some of them are near Bab al-Aziziyah, but Gaddafi's forces have been trying to resist,” he added. (pg)