ALGIERS- President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune stressed, on Friday evening, the need to accelerate the political change to achieve strong and new institutions of the Algerian State.”
During his meeting with national media leaders, President Tebboune reviewed the important issues that need to be tackled in view of the health crisis that the country is going through like other countries in the world in order to “remedy the situation and not leave room for a vacuum.”
In this regard, the President said that he had given instructions to begin printing the draft of the revised Constitution and send it to political actors, civil society and the media for debate and enrichment, starting next week.
This step, he explained, is aimed at “avoiding the loss of time even in the event of an extension of the containment currently imposed due to the spread of Covid-19.”
Tebboune reported, in this sense, “progress” in the process of revising the Electoral Code, adding that “a special commission is ensuring its development so that Algeria has by the end of the year other strong institutions.” A process that the President has undertaken to complete.
Betting for the future on civil society, which he called to “take things in hand”, he pledged to “give it a say in the management”.
He recalled that this is a commitment he has made since his election as head of the country on 12 December 2019, adding that he will encourage “the creation of a greater number of civil associations of general interest while benefiting from subsidies”.
In the context of guaranteeing freedom of expression, President Tebboune assured that freedom of expression was guaranteed in Algeria but within the limits of respect for the law and far from any alarmism, saying that in his dealings with the national press he relied on “continuous dialogue and efforts of persuasion.”
Tebboune noted that since he became President of the Republic, the seat of the Presidency has been open to all public and private media.
Nevertheless, he said “there are things that are unacceptable both for us and for journalists, who also denounce this confusion between the concept of freedom and anarchy.
Referring to the health situation in the country, the president said that “our mission and our commitment are above all to protect the people.
In addition, Tebboune did not rule out a possible closure of shops authorized to resume activity at the beginning of Ramadan, if it turns out that they are the cause of an increase in the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Regarding those affected by the containment measures, Tebboune reassured that the State will take care of industrialists, traders, and craftsmen who have suffered losses due to the Covid-19 pandemic as well as any person who has lost his source of income due to this pandemic.
On the social front, the President has pledged to take charge of all social concerns after the health crisis, and this “far from the policy of buying consciences.”
In addition, Tebboune did not rule out a possible closure of shops authorized to resume activity at the beginning of Ramadan, if it turns out that they are the cause of an increase in the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Regarding the people affected by the containment measures, Tebboune reassured that the State will take care of industrialists, traders, and craftsmen who have suffered losses due to the covid-19 pandemic as well as any person who has lost his source of income due to this pandemic.
He also undertook to solve the problems of all categories, like the education sector staff, according to a determined programme,” recommending tripartite meetings in the future to examine all the issues.
Cautioning against “any desire to infiltrate certain claims under overseas court order,” Tebboune said that “the law is above all.”
On another matter, the President of the Republic affirmed that the baccalaureate examination for the current school year “will be maintained and there will be no blank year”, adding that the measures to be taken to this end remain dependent on the evolution of the health situation.
Furthermore, Tebboune assured that housing projects will not be halted despite the financial difficulties facing the country following the fall in oil prices. Affirming that the oil crisis that Algeria and the rest of the oil-producing countries are going through is “a very cyclical crisis and not a structural one”, the President of the Republic reassured that the State will not resort to external debt or to the money printing for its financial needs in the face of falling oil prices, but rather to “borrowing from citizens.”
Furthermore, President Tebboune stated that the 2020 supplementary finance law provides for a reduction in certain taxes and the abolition of others with a tightening of control over foreign trade.
He also announced that preparations are being made to launch the exploitation of natural and mineral resources that have not been exploited to date.
President Tebboune estimated that the pace of consumption of the country’s foreign exchange reserves will be slower than in previous years thanks to the “eradication” of the phenomenon of over-invoicing and over-evaluation of projects in Algeria.
Referring to the Libyan crisis, Tebboune reaffirmed Algeria’s readiness to continue its support for the Libyan people, deploring at the same time “the serious abuses” taking place in that country, particularly during this holy month of Ramadan.
APS
