Algeria welcomes foreign observers in presidential elections

Algeria invites foreign observers to watch the presidential elections due to be held next spring.

•  This is what the interior minister Yazid Zerhouni said to reporters on the sidelines of a parliamentary session Wednesday.
• “The government welcomes foreign observers to the presidential elections. We do not fear their presence”, he said.
• Zerhouni was responding to a party leader who rejected to take part in the presidential competition unless foreign observers are allowed to watch the competition.
• In the last presidential elections won by Abdelaziz Bouteflika in 2004, foreign observers were not invited as neither political parties nor government found it necessary.
• Algerian parliament approved Wednesday a constitutional amendment to allow incumbent president Bouteflika to run for a third term in office.
• He is widely expected to win the competition in 2009. The main political parties are backing him in his endeavour. Opposition considers the change of constitution a pretext to keep in power.