Bouteflika assigns Ouyahia to lead constitutional amendment consultations

Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika assigned State Minister Ahmed Ouyahia to lead consultations with political parties, personalities and associations early in June. He announced that they will receive copies of the Constitution’s drafts prepared by a legal committee in May.

“Political parties, national personalities and associations will receive proposals about the constitutional amendment in mid-May. Consulted parties will be asked to hold meetings at the President’s Office early in June to present and discuss their opinions and comments. They may have alternative proposals so that the committee would have enough time to examine them,” said Bouteflika in a release.

“I assigned the State Minister to manage all the operation under my supervision. Those consultations will be conducted in transparency so that public opinion will follow them. When they are done, a unique constitutional draft will be prepared,” he added.

Observers raise questions about “old faces” including the President’s Personal advisor Abdelaziz Belkhadem and Ouyahia who are assigned to lead the “change.”

Bouteflika called on the cabinet to integrate his electoral program into its action plan. A number of principal axes will be treated by the new cabinet: good governance promotion, countering bureaucracy, public service improvement, public money protection against squandering, countering corruption, regularization of audiovisual sector and press.

The president also called on government to keep jobs creation as a principal objective and to speed up Algeria’s adherence to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Speaking about security situation, Bouteflika called on Algerian society to be vigilant and support the army forces in fighting terrorism. This comes as security forces foiled a terrorist attack in the province of Tamnrasset (south of Algeria).