37 Opposition Parties ask for Sellal's Resignation

Opposition parties raised their demands, and expanded its political alliance, as it was able for the first time in the Multi-party history in the country since 1989, to gather 37 parties and national figures, which agreed on the need for the dismissal of Sellal’s Government before the Presidential Elections, especially the Ministerial Sectors that are related to the electoral process.

Leaders of political parties and national figures, which form the Group of Twenty (G20), accompanied by 17 parties of the Democrat pole, which joined this bloc, agreed on the need to amend the government, including the main ministerial portfolios, that are directly related to the organization of the coming elections, which includes the establishment of the integrity and neutrality, to achieve the principle of equal opportunities for candidates for the presidency, in reference to the Ministries of Interior and Justice, led by Tayeb Belaiz and Tayeb Louh who are close to President Bouteflika.

Opposition forces gathered on Saturday at the Cosmos Hall in Algiers’ Riad Al Fath, explained in a statement that was read by the party chairman of Aadl Party (Justice) Naima Salehi, “Presidential Elections 2014 are a real chance for the embodiment of the people’s aspirations and prospects of the political class in consecration of the Republic again. We stress the need for transparency of elections and ensure their fairness, and this through the response of President Bouteflika to the demands that will be filed to him by the opposition, which are represented in three main points, the first which is the dismissal of the Government of the Prime Minister, with their insistence on the creation of a national body which is independent from power and administration, to oversee the preparation and organization of the electoral process in all the legal stages, since the calling of the electoral body until the announcement of the results and the ratification by the Constitutional Council, although the Interior Minister Taib Belaiz refused to talk with the opposition, with the need to neutralize all the institutions that have no relationship to the electoral process, along with the renewal of its refusal to amend the constitution before the Presidential Elections, due to the lack of availability of the terms and conditions that are appropriate to amend the compromise that responds to the aspirations of the people and the components of the political class”.

During the meeting, heads of political parties and national figures met to give their opinions, as the Head of the Movement of Society for Peace (MSP) Abderrazak Makri, expressed Algeria’s urgent need to a new November to bring peaceful change, highlighting the success of the Liberation Revolution which came after the people joined the elites, considering the political initiatives of the opposition parties as a breakthrough to dedicate this peaceful change among Algerians, and said; “If the foreigners are the ones who govern us, we will change the situation, even with weapons.”

Head of the National Republican Rally, Abdelkader Merbah, demanded the trial of President Bouteflika, for failing to respect the principle of power deliberation saying; “Bouteflika is not responsible for rampant corruption and bribery in the country. The creation of a National Medical Commission is composed of impartial and honest doctors and foreign doctors to oversee on the study of the medical files of of the candidates to the presidential elections 2014, without forgetting the need to trial the Constitutional Council for not applying Article 88 of the Constitution, and declaring a state of vacancy in the position of President. National Advisory Committee for the Protection and Upgrading of Human Rights, headed by Farouk Ksentini does not deserve the Prize that was granted to President Bouteflika”.

Candidate for the Presidential Elections, former Prime Minister, Ahmed Benbitour, warned about the challenges that will be faced by Algeria “Fraud of  the coming elections will not serve the country. Demands of Algerians cannot be realized in the light of the economic policies that are currently applied. Current policy required to achievement of revenues at a price equivalent to $ 190 a barrel, to respond to the demands of the Algerians in 2016 and this is impossible.”