Chakib Khelil: “French slanderous campaign set to divert French public opinion away from France’s economic woes”

And yet another Zaouia or religious school to be visited on Thursday by the former energy minister Chakib Khelil, this time in Tissemsilt province where he was received as a distinguished guest at the local Zaouia of Sidi Ali El Hadj.

On the sidelines of the ceremony held there in his honour by his Zaouia hosts, Chakib Khelil was asked by local reporters about his reaction to the current hostile campaign waged in France against Algeria, its state and its institutions.

In his statement, Chakib Khelil firmly hit out against this vile slanderous campaign spearheaded by some ill-intentioned quarters in France notoriously known, he said, for their long-running hostility towards independent and sovereign Algeria.

The former energy minister added that this slanderous campaign orchestrated by these malicious circles in France was covertly aimed at diverting the French public opinion’s attention away from the acute economic woes now besetting France coupled with the problem of terror-related insecurity and rampant unemployment notably targeting the restive French youth notably with regard to the contentious new labour law adopted by the French government in the face of a popular outcry.

Asked by Echorouk’s reporter about his purported ambition to vie in the near future for the presidential rostrum as part of the next elections, Mr Chakib Khelil refused to comment, confining himself to saying that if requested to take over a position, he’s ready to serve dutifully the country.

To recall, since his return to Algeria, Chakib Khelil has already visited as an honorary guest the Zaouia of Marzoukia in Djelfa. He then paid a visit to the Zaouia of Sidi Mahieddine in the western province of Mascara.