Immediate Import of 10,000 New Buses, Expanding Liability For Accidents

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune chaired a meeting on Wednesday devoted to the transportation sector.

The meeting began with a prayer for the souls of the victims, following the recent tragic bus crash, which exposed several shortcomings, according to a statement from the Presidency of the Republic.

Following extensive discussion and consideration of the officials’ interventions, it was decided, according to the same source, to immediately import 10,000 new passenger buses to replace the old ones, under the supervision of the Ministry of Industry, and to import various types of vehicle tires in a timely and extensive manner.

It was also decided to enact new legislation regulating traffic, particularly the procedures for issuing driver’s licenses, and to present them at the next Cabinet meeting. It also mandated civil liability for those responsible for traffic accidents, through referring drivers to periodic monitoring, and increasing the number of monitoring centres to detect potential drug and psychotropic substance consumption.

The meeting resulted in a decision to expand liability for accidents for the first time, targeting parties responsible for road maintenance, driving schools, vehicle technical inspection institutions, and any other party proven responsible for accidents. The decision also mandated the Gendarmerie and National Security services to intensify surveillance throughout the country, enforce strict traffic laws, and reduce road terrorism.

The meeting was attended by General Saïd Chengriha, Minister Delegate to the Minister of National Defense and Chief of Staff of the National People’s Army, and Mr. Boualem Boualem, Director of the Office of the Presidency of the Republic, and the Ministers of the Interior, Justice, Finance, Transport, Industry, Health and Public Works, as well as the Advisor to the President of the Republic in charge of the General Directorate of Communication, the Commander of the National Gendarmerie, the Director General of National Security, the Central Director of Military Industry at the Ministry of National Defense and the Director General of Civil Protection.