Chakib Khelil: “I will not resign and I am not accountable for Sonatrach's management”

The Energy and Mines Minister, Chakib Khelil, has ruled out the idea of resigning from his post in the aftermath of the Sonatrach scandal marked by gross corruption and embezzlement practices incriminating several senior managers of the national hydrocarbons company. 

• Khelil indicated that he had nothing to do with such a scandal as he is, as he put, solely responsible for the sector of energy and mines and not for the management of Sonatrach itself.
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• He further pointed out that the entourage of President Abdellaziz Bouteflika had also nothing to be reproached with in the Sonatrach affair which involves only a number of executives who were in charge of the running of the company.
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• An in-depth investigation designed to unravel all the intricacies of the affair is underway, he said.
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• Chakib Khelil made this explanatory statement before the National Popular Assembly in reply to MP’S questions and queries about the ins and outs of the recently-exposed Sonatrach corruption and financial malpractice scandal.
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