In an interview with the French newspaper Le Figaro, the President of the Republic Abdelmadjid Tebboune reiterates his determination to moralize the political life in Algeria.
« I am determined to go far in radical change to break away from bad practices, moralize political life , and change the way of governance « , he said
People have hope for change
Asked about the impatience of the Algerians regarding the satisfaction of the Hirak’s demands, President Tebboune said « I accept that I am asked to go faster, this proves that people have the hope of change. The Hirak got almost everything he wanted: there was no fifth mandate or extension of the fourth mandate , and at the end the president resigned.
The most visible leaders of the old system have also left, and the fight has been waged against those who brought the economy to its knees. There remain political reforms, I made it my priority, and I am determined to go far in radical change to break with bad practices, moralize political life, and change the way of governance. Regarding the priorities of his presidential mandate, President Tebboune pointed out that the revision of the Constitution is the first Priority.
Revision of the Constitution, priority of priorities
« This is the priority of priorities. I have given specialists guidance and formulated limits, those which relate particularly to national identity and national unity. Everything else remains negotiable. A first draft will be given to nearly 600 parties, associations, unions, corporations , etc. They will have a month to discuss it freely, and then return to the drafting committee. The final version will be submitted to the two chambers of Parliament, at the end to a popular referendum. The referendum is essential in order to reach a consensus on the Constitution, because I do not want to print my own vision for constitutional change. We will have our Constitution by the beginning of this summer at the latest, and we will make sure that the referendum will be held as soon as possible. « President Tebboune indicated that the amendment of the electoral law is a second priority « The second step is the electoral law, which is supposed to improve to the perfection our elected institutions. The new Parliament will have to play a greater role, but for this it needs to be credible enough and not suffer from any lack of legitimacy about its representativeness. One of the prerequisites for this is the separation between und money and politics. President Tebboune added
Me, „I only feel indebted to the people who elected me freely and transparently. The military institution supported and accompanied the electoral process, but never determined who would be the president and only feel indented to the People.Asked about the role of the ANP ( Military Institution) , and the amalgam which is maintained by circles hostile to Algeria, regarding this question with ulterior motives, but « the Hirak also wants » a civil state, not a military one « . President Tebboune insistently noted that the ANP (Military Institution) accomplishes its missions according to the Constitution,it is not concerned with politics, investment, or economics. It is there to safeguard national unity, protect the Constitution and the Algerians against any terrorist infiltration and any attempt to destabilize the country. You will not find any trace of its interference in the life of the citizen only during the national service.
He added « Me, I do not feel indebted except towards the people who elected me in complete freedom and transparency. The military supported and accompanied the electoral process, but never tried to establish who would be the president. If I got involved in the presidential election, it’s because I had an aftertaste of unfinished work.
The mafia head was cut but the body is still present.
Asked about the plot against him in 2017, three months after being invested as Prime Minister, President Abdelmadjid told us « My country was in difficulty, I thought I could bring more knowing that it was a sacrifice for my family and myself. It was my duty. Regarding the politico-financial mafia whose faces are languishing today in prison, the president considered that « Corruption and the accumulation of dirty money cannot be erased with corrector. The mafia’s head was cut but the body is still present.Dirty money is still circulating. Every day new officials, pseudo businessmen find themselves in front of the courts. The foundations of the Algerian state must be healthy. Next coming for us is much greater than the works of Sisyphus. We are rebuilding, but it will take time. No modern state has been built in a generation. The Fifth Republic in France began in 1958 of the past century! Let’s start by outlining our new state on the following level :constitutional, then institutional, and economic. Our ills are coming from unbridled imports, which generate extra-billing, one of the sources of corruption favored by many European countries where banking was done, extra-billing, investments of money illegally transferred.
Free Algeria from dependence on hydrocarbons …
With regard to the economic aspect, President Tebboune wants highlighting the need to diversify the national economy. Hydrocarbons are an exhaustible divine wealth, but they must generate more lasting wealth. Algeria is full of other resources, the main one being its educated youth. » “My generation has remained in its shackles but young people are in contact with the whole world. Young people trained in the Algerian Universities are appreciated for their dynamism and their know-how, all over the world, in the United States, in Europe… With an universalist spirit and through healthy and modern competition ,we want to build a new economic building based on the promotion of national production, the knowledge-based economy and the energy transition. » In the same way , President Tebboune insisted on the need to boost, start-ups, VSEs and SMEs, on the enhancement of agricultural products and the fight against unbridled imports, which generate extra-billing, one of the sources of corruption favored by many European countries where banking was done, extra-billing, investments of illicitly transferred money. « It killed national production, » he pointed out. In the same regard, he added « For example, we will stop the import of car kits. The Renault factory inAlgeria has nothing to do with the one built in Morocco. How can you create jobs when there is no integration, no subcontracting?
Warm Welcome to our diaspora
The future role of the Algerian diaspora is called to be involved in the development of the country, President Tebboune indicated that he will immediately endeavor to change article 51 which deprives Algeria of its many skills. « Immigration of Algerian origin abroad has its place here, and we are working to ensure that there is no longer any separation between emigrated citizens and those who have stayed in the country. They have the same rights and opportunities.Whether temporarily or permanently abroad, their country of origin remains Algeria, and they are welcome anytime. Of course highly sensitive positions that affect national security cannot be opened to everyone. It’s a worldwide practice, and these positions can be counted on the fingers of one hand. But you can be binational and become an university rector, director of a national society, and work in any structure where there are no state secrets, « he pointed out. Regarding Algerian-French relations, President Tebboune indicated that Algeria is for peaceful relations with France, based on mutual respect In France, there is a revenge lobby Asked about the latest statements from French President Emmanuel Macron, who has undertaken to carry out memorial work with Algeria comparable to that which Jacques Chirac had carried out vis-à-vis the Holocaust. President Tebboune said „I have had some contact with President Macron, and I know that he is intellectually honest, he has no connection with colonization. He is trying to resolve this problem that is poisoning relations between our two countries; sometimes he is misunderstood, and sometimes he is the target of virulent attacks by very powerful lobbies.
There is a revanchist lobby, in France
There is a revanchist lobby, which dreams of the paradise lost, insisting on what they called „ the betrayal of President De Gaulle « and I do not know what yet … Our independence is almost 60 years old. It is still weird that Algeria appears in almost all french political news!
And when they are able to pass a law that glorifies colonization, we are far from what we are expecting …He added « We are for peaceful relations with France, based on mutual respect. It is time to face the truth.
A first step is to recognize what has been done, the second step is to condemn it. Courage is needed in politics. But there is another lobby (Morocco Editor’s note), whose entire policy is based on the containment of Algeria, and which is present in France. It is a lobby, with economic and social connections, which is afraid of Algeria. Even when Algeria intervenes to propose peaceful solutions to crises, this lobby tries to intrude on the pretext that it is also concerned.
We are viscerally jealous of our dearly-won sovereignty .
In the same context, the president remains convinced that the Algerians do not want to be occupied with their affairs. How can we suggest a transitional period to Algeria or interfere in the choice of its people? It is up to the Algerians alone to settle this matter. And it is up to others to admit that we are viscerally jealous of our dearly won sovereignty. And when I see young people, under the discerning eye, if not an accomplice, of the French police, mistreating elderly people who came to their consulate to vote in the last Algerian presidential election… Are we in a truly democratic country ? Many Algerians in France wanted to vote, but they were afraid. For us, the case is not buried.The investigation continues.
Without France, Algeria would quickly settle the crisis in Mali
Concerning Mali, President Tebboune implicitly believes that France has prevented the settlement of the crisis in this neighboring country « If we had been allowed to do so, it was a long time ago that the Malian problem would have been settled » he underlines.
Without France, Algeria would quickly settle the crisis in Mali President Macron, yes. His predecessors, no. If we had been allowed to do so, the Malian problem would have been resolved a long time ago. Algeria has not stopped presenting solutions to the Malians since 1962. They are brothers. Their problems are our problems. The Algiers deal was almost perfect. It was the only possible way for southern Mali to integrate the north into its structures and institutions. But official France wanted to settle the problem militarily. We have withdrawn and see what is happening on the ground. Military solutions have never solved the problems, on the contrary, in our case, they complicate the situation and serve as a call make to terrorists. Now we have to go back to the Algiers agreement. As for the G5 Sahel, it does not have the military capabilities to fight terrorism effectively.
Libyan conflict, settled between Libyans
Regarding Libya, President Tebboune will note that « As early as 2011, we said that this is not the way to solve problems. If Gaddafi is a problem, it is up to his citizens to decide his fate. Today we must push the Libyans to dialogue and rebuild their state. If we are empowered by the UN Security Council, we are able to bring peace quickly to Libya, because Algeria is a sincere and credible mediator, accepted by all the Libyan tribes. We must not wage proxy wars, we must commit not to sell weapons and stop bringing in mercenaries … We provide the Libyans with food and medicine and not weapons to kill each other. If the disintegration of Libya continues within a year, a year and a half, Europe and the Mediterranean countries will have a new Somalia on their borders with definite consequences for their stability and security. Libya’s current luck is that its large tribes have not taken up arms. They are all ready to come to Algeria to forge a common future together. We are the only ones to offer healthy and selfless solutions. We are not left to do. However, Algeria has no hegemonic aim, or aiming at the riches of this brother country which opened its doors to us during our liberation war, « he concluded.
