MP's turn down investigation commission into events linked to January's rioting over food price hikes

The parliamentary inquiry commission is expected to contact the relevant ministerial departments in order to carry out field investigations by questioning producers, importers and wholesale traders on the steep hike in the prices of staple commodities including sugar and cooking oil which touched off street rioting in Algiers and in other cities of the country last January.

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• However, MP’s from the financial affairs commission have turned down the creation of such an inquiry commission at the initiative of deputies from the presidential alliance, including the FLN, the RND and the MSP and some independents.
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• A leading parliamentarian who opposed the initiative said that the platform put forth by the alliance’s deputies was what he called “a humiliation to parliament and to the people”.

• Meanwhile, consultations and discussions among parliamentary groups are underway to thrash out a compromise solution to the vexed issue.
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