Bouteflika Sticks To His Roadmap To Solve Algeria Crisis

President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has stuck to the roadmap and the three solutions that he attached to the decision to postpone the presidential elections to a later date and not to run for a new term, and he only said in a new letter to the Algerians that he will provide new details about the national conference that he promised to launch soon, so as to be a space for consultations of the Constitution that will be submitted to a referendum and will be followed by presidential elections which date are not yet set.

President Abdelaziz Bouteflika spoke, in a new message to the Algerian people, on the occasion of the celebration of March 19, Victory Day, about the recent decisions that were taken after the popular protests over demanding a change of regime and rejecting the fifth bid, and the extension of the fourth term.

In the letter, the president expressed his adherence to the road map which he addressed to the Algerians in his letter on March 10, 2018, which was rejected by the masses last Friday.

Bouteflika presented a new detail on the national symposium, saying; “Our country is about to change its system of government and renew its political, economic and social approach by the national conference that will be held in the near future with the participation of all parties of the Algerian people.”

He explained about the conference, which is considered by the president as the ideal space for dialogue between Algerians; “The mission of this conference is a sensitive task because it will take the decisive decisions to ensure the positive change that is demanded by our people, especially our young generations. The change that will be embodied through a comprehensive and deep constitutional amendment that will be decided by the people through the referendum, an amendment that will be the starting point for a new electoral path that is initiated by the presidential elections, which will decide about the country’s new president”.

The message of the President on the occasion of the Victory Day, which was unusually short, did not address this time the popular movement and did not mention, from far off or close, the response that was expressed by the Algerian people, which rejects these measures in the fourth Friday demonstration.

Many observers likened Bouteflika’s message to a direct referendum on the extent to which the Algerians responded to the president’s road map that he insists on continuing to work with it when he said; “The national conference will allow the parties to freely discuss the economic and social future of the country, a future that is fraught with challenges in this area, a future that really needs a national consensus on the objectives and solutions to achieve a strong economic development and competitiveness, a development that ensures the continuation of our social model that is based on justice and solidarity”.

“This approach will inevitably contribute to Algeria’s liberation from dependence on hydrocarbons and from the global market volatility of this wealth and the economic and social strengthening of our country will make it stronger enough to maintain its safety and security in a direct and volatile environment and in a world that is fraught with multiple dangers “.

Bouteflika concluded: “This is the purpose I have promised to dedicate to you, and it will be the last of my presidency, at your side and at your service, so that Algeria will soon witness a smooth transition and the handover of its leadership to a new generation in order to continue our national goals towards further progress and development under sovereignty and freedom”.