RABAT, April 12, 2013 (MAP)
The Moroccan Sahara issue, in light of the UN secretary general's latest report, and the controversy caused by the Government's deficit cuts (15 billion DH) are the main topics commented by editorials published this Friday April 12, 2013. In an editorial titled "clear position", L'Opinion considers that the settlement of the Sahara issue depends mainly on the will of the Algerian authorities which, unlike Morocco, continue to bar the way before a lasting and fair solution. For the editorialist, the Moroccan proposal to grant the Southern provinces large autonomy should be the basis of any settlement process given that this proposal is credible and enjoys the international community support. The paper further stresses that while receiving the UN secretary general's personal envoy for the sovereign on Wednesday, the Sovereign reiterated Morocco's adherence and full cooperation with the world body efforts to reach a realistic and fair solution on the basis of the Moroccan autonomy plan. It is up to the other party top show a spirit of compromise and openness and the same will to cooperate with the United Nations, it insists, calling Algeria to create the appropriate conditions for normalization of relations with Morocco and help reach a solution in order to dissipate the terrorist threats hovering over the Sahel-Sahara region and all the Maghreb countries. The editorialist further comments that "the Tindouf camps where the population is enduring a real plight, offer to Al Qaeda extremists an opportunity to recruit combatants", noting that the protraction of the Sahara dispute worsens insecurity and destabilization threats on the Maghreb and Sahel countries. Aujourd'hui le Maroc which runs an editorial on the Government's budget cuts says the coalition majority attitude is "funny", as their comments give the impression that the decision was made by a single party, the PJD leading the government, arguing that instead of showing inter-government solidarity, the coalition components are trading responsibilities, which even more puzzling to the public opinion and business circles. For the editorialist, this situation shows that the government has lost its homogeneity, warning that a diverging government is likely to be the real source of the present crisis. L'Economiste considers that by choosing to make cuts in public investments, rather than in consumption subsidies, the government is directly affecting internal economic activity.
The idea is that unemployment upsurge is less disadvantaging for the politicians who are already campaigning for local elections. Rissalat Al Oumma charges that this is "another violation of the constitution", arguing that the decision to operate budget cuts was made without consulting stakeholders (business circles, parliament and unions). On its part, Akhbar Al Yaoum Al Maghribia, recalls that the deficit has reached 7.1 pc of the GDP in 2012, while the government was expecting 5pc. The editorialist writes that the Government has tabled on a reform of the subsidy fund during the first months of its mandate in order to save 10 billion DH, wondering why the government has not operated a partial reform of this fund and has, instead, opted for the easiest way that is budget cuts.