Algerian Authorities Warn of Greater Social, Economic Hardships in 2018

Algeria Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia. (AFP)
Algeria Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia. (AFP)
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Algerian Authorities Warn of Greater Social, Economic Hardships in 2018

Algeria Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia. (AFP)
Algeria Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia. (AFP)

The “work plan” of Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia is expected to garner wide support at parliament where it will be up for a vote on Sunday, predicted observers of the political situation in the North African country.

The premier's document acknowledges that the Algeria people will face difficulties in 2018 due to the lack of financial resources.

Islamist lawmakers announced that they will oppose the plan that was drafted during President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s fourth term in office. Their influence will be however limited at parliament because they are in the minority.

Ouyahia’s plan expresses government skepticism about the possibility of improving the country's income from the selling of fuel during the next two years, revealed a copy of the document obtained by Asharq Al-Awsat.

This has prompted the PM to voice his intention to amend the loan law through printing more hard currency.

The possibility to obtain a loan from the Central Bank has not been ruled out.

Economic and financial experts predicted that this step will create great inflation and spark a rise in the majority of products, which will ultimately keep the deficit as it is.

Furthermore, a local newspaper reported Ouyahia as saying that should the Central Bank fail to print more hard cash, the government may not have the sufficient funds to pay the salaries of employees for November.



Tunisia Groups Urge Inclusion of Rejected Candidates in Poll

FILE PHOTO: Tunisian President Kais Saied attends a signing ceremony with Chinese President Xi Jinping (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China May 31, 2024. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/Pool/File Photo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Tunisian President Kais Saied attends a signing ceremony with Chinese President Xi Jinping (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China May 31, 2024. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/Pool/File Photo/File Photo
TT

Tunisia Groups Urge Inclusion of Rejected Candidates in Poll

FILE PHOTO: Tunisian President Kais Saied attends a signing ceremony with Chinese President Xi Jinping (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China May 31, 2024. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/Pool/File Photo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Tunisian President Kais Saied attends a signing ceremony with Chinese President Xi Jinping (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China May 31, 2024. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/Pool/File Photo/File Photo

A petition signed by prominent Tunisians and civil society groups was published on Saturday urging that rejected candidates be allowed to stand in the October 6 presidential election, Agence France Presse reported.

Signed by 26 groups including Legal Agenda, Lawyers Without Borders and the Tunisian Human Rights League, it welcomed an administrative court decision this week to reinstate three candidates who had been disqualified.

They are Imed Daimi, who was an adviser to former president Moncef Marzouki, former minister Mondher Zenaidi and opposition party leader Abdellatif Mekki.

The three were among 14 candidates barred by the Tunisian election authority, ISIE, from standing in the election.

If they do take part, they will join former parliamentarian Zouhair Maghzaoui and businessman Ayachi Zammel in challenging incumbent President Kais Saied.

Saturday's petition was also signed by more than 180 civil society figures including Wahid Ferchichi, dean of the public law faculty at Carthage University.

It called the administrative court "the only competent authority to adjudicate disputes related to presidential election candidacies.”

The petition referred to statements by ISIE head Farouk Bouasker, who on Thursday indicated that the authority will soon meet to finalize the list of candidates, "taking into consideration judicial judgements already pronounced.”

This has been interpreted as suggesting the ISIE may reject new candidacies if they are the subject of legal proceedings or have convictions.

The administrative court's rulings on appeals "are enforceable and cannot be contested by any means whatsoever,” the petition said.

It called on the electoral authority to "respect the law and avoid any practice that could undermine the transparency and integrity of the electoral process.”