The recent positions of the European Parliament (EP) and the allegations contained in the resolution voted by the majority of MEPs on January 19, have been strongly denounced in Morocco. Meeting in a joint plenary session on Monday, the Moroccan Parliament, of its two Chambers, decided to ” reconsider its relationship” with the European Parliament.
Asked about it by MoroccoLatestNews UKpolitical scientist Driss Aissaoui, estimated that the European Parliament, by affirming that Morocco has problems of respect for human rights, respect for freedom of the press, and justice, etc., has just surrendered guilty of an “initiative which is desired”.
An initiative “very very badly received by the politicians at the level of the Moroccan Parliament”, underlined Aissaoui. Parliament, which moreover organized a joint session between the 1st and 2nd Chambers on Monday, allowed the two chambers ” to express their disapproval of what could be called the interference of the European Parliament in the internal affairs of Morocco“, argued the political scientist.
” The European resolution calls into question the independence of the judiciary in Morocco, while since 2017 we have had a judicial authority completely independent of the public prosecutor. And this is a first, even compared to a number of European countries. It is also a first insofar as we have the public ministry which is independent, legal and which treats all litigants on the same footing of equality. How do you expect a parliament through majority and minority games, etc., to be able to judge a judicial power as strong as the one we have in Morocco, and which has been the subject of major reforms?“Aissaoui explained.
Concerning European parliamentarians, the political scientist recalled that the latter cited cases where we talk about issues of freedom of the media, of the press and of conscience, citing cases of journalists who are today imprisoned for cases that concern.
” The high judicial authority in Morocco has just issued a statement expressing its surprise at the reaction of the European Parliament and to say we do not understand why the European Parliament has taken this initiative by condemning the independence of justice in Morocco. Something that is unacceptable and could not be acceptede,” commented Aissaoui.
On the other hand, the political scientist noted that those who voted for this European resolution are mostly ” Macronists, people close to Emmanuel Macron, people from the right circles of France, and these are people who work in close cooperation with the Algerian neighbor“, he raised.
” We must not forget that the Algerian authorities have put a lot of money into this lobbying to influence the authority of Morocco. However, how do you want to give credibility to this situation, when Morocco is a strategic partner of the EU, and of Europe in general?“, insisted on recalling Aissaoui, noting that “ the Kingdom has for some time had an advanced status in its relations with Europe“, citing as an example the European High Commissioner, Josep Borell, who was recently on a visit to Morocco and who said that ” the Kingdom is a valuable country with which Europe works very intelligently“.
In short, the political scientist estimated that the European Parliament has just created a problem, thus recalling the last decision of the Moroccan Parliament to review the relations of cooperation and the relations which bind Morocco to the European Parliament.
” Finally, it is a rather serious and very difficult event that the European Parliament is going through. And what is extraordinary is that European politicians, and French politicians in particular, are not looking at things the right way. Now, one wonders why France or even Europe does not question the stability or the, let’s say, incongruous character of the Algerian power, which has just completely dissolved an important institution, that of Human Rights in Algeria . It is an extremely historic event, which nobody talks about either at the level of the European Parliament or at the level of the European media.“, he pointed out.
To conclude, politician Aissaoui considered that the European Parliament “hasthere will be things to blame and to do, and most certainly, the future will tell us how Morocco will be able to react“.
But what is extremely important to notice, he says, and what is disturbing, ” it is Morocco’s presence in Africa, and its African policy that create problems for it with European countries, such as France, which have lost their footing and their position in Africa and do not want Morocco to be able to continue in this direction.” thus calling to be “more vigilant and attentive to this situation”.