{"id":257965,"date":"2026-08-13T03:11:19","date_gmt":"2026-08-13T01:11:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sada.ly\/en\/?p=257965"},"modified":"2026-08-14T03:12:42","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T01:12:42","slug":"al-zantouti-do-we-have-a-state-or-a-quasi-state","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sada.ly\/en\/al-zantouti-do-we-have-a-state-or-a-quasi-state\/","title":{"rendered":"Al-Zantouti: Do We Have a State or a Quasi-State?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Written by financial analyst Khaled Al-Zantouti<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The National Oil Corporation has just issued a statement confirming that the value of imported fuel for July exceeded $1 billion<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This figure has now become a reality, not merely an estimate, particularly because it was issued by the official Libyan authority responsible for the sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this point, the pens dry up and the newspapers are raised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Power outages now exceed an average of 12 hours per day<\/strong>, with the main excuse being the lack of diesel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are queues for gasoline, with the excuse being the lack of gasoline\u2014and the lack of electricity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to some information, diesel is available at wholesale prices of 7\u20138 dinars<\/strong>, while gasoline is also available, but at exorbitant prices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Surely, this is the same fuel imported by the NOC, not fuel smuggled in from Nigeria or Algeria. So how did it reach those people?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gentlemen, this is a state\u2014or rather, a quasi-state\u2014where smuggling, theft, and illicit trade flourish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you really think that an ordinary, struggling citizen could engage in this organized, cross-border smuggling operation involving ships and organized transportation fleets?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Absolutely not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those capable of doing so are the people with the power, authority, and resources to carry it out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are the people at the front of the line\u2014the very people supposed to protect the system but who are benefiting from it. I do not mean everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gentlemen, the average monthly value of smuggled fuel exceeds 50% of imported fuel<\/strong>, amounting to more than $550 million per month<\/strong>, or approximately 5 billion dinars<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This would be enough to build around 20,000 apartments every month<\/strong>, assuming an average construction cost of 1,500 dinars per square meter for a 150-square-meter apartment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other words, with the value of monthly fuel smuggling, we could build around a quarter of a million apartments every year<\/strong>, providing free housing for a quarter of a million families annually. We could even distribute free housing to our African guests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, are we living in a state or a quasi-state?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even drones have now begun striking oil storage facilities, apparently as a means of harming rivals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is a case of \u201cif I go down, my enemies go down with me,\u201d while the citizen is caught in the middle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What kind of state is this, with thousands of people holding ranks and medals, portraying themselves as warriors on battlefields between rival brothers, equipped with the latest weapons and equipment?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where are they when it comes to protecting the country’s borders and sovereign security?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are they asleep, or are they partners in this? I do not mean everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is this not a state of incompetence and thuggery?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have nothing more to say except the words of God Almighty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cIndeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

We pray to Almighty God that we regain our reason and set our affairs right. Indeed, He answers prayers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Written by financial analyst Khaled Al-Zantouti The National Oil Corporation has just issued a statement confirming that the value of imported fuel for July exceeded $1 billion. This figure has now become a reality, not merely an estimate, particularly because it was issued by the official Libyan authority responsible for the sector. At this point, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":257509,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[683],"tags":[613],"class_list":["post-257965","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economic-articles","tag-libya"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nAl-Zantouti: Do We Have a State or a Quasi-State? - Sada Newspaper<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sada.ly\/en\/al-zantouti-do-we-have-a-state-or-a-quasi-state\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Al-Zantouti: Do We Have a State or a Quasi-State? - Sada Newspaper\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Written by financial analyst Khaled Al-Zantouti The National Oil Corporation has just issued a statement confirming that the value of imported fuel for July exceeded $1 billion. 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