Well-informed source: “We Do Not Care About The European Ambassador’s Tweet, We Are Waiting An Official Response”

Algerian-European relationships are noticing a tension in the last few hours, in light of the European Union’s silence to the demands of the Algerian authorities to clarify the reality of the video that was filmed inside the Brussels building, which Algeria described as an attack on its national sovereignty and symbols of the state, because the video shows the European Union’s flag and its symbols, while the Ambassador of the Union who was summoned by the Algerian Foreign Ministry last Saturday, preferred to respond only by publishing a statement on Twitter, and talked about freedom of expression.

Algeria’s Foreign Ministry expressed, on Monday, its displeasure at the reaction of the EU Ambassador John O’Rourke, following his invitation to inquire about the video that was taken by the journalist Laila Haddad at the European Union headquarters, which was considered a violation of national sovereignty, and the official spokesman to the FM, Abdelaziz Ben Ali Charif, said the European ambassador’s only binds his person, and that Algeria is still waiting for a response.

Ben Ali Cherif said that the European Unions ambassador was summoned to Algeria, where he was informed of the government’s condemnation and denunciation of the use of the European Union’s spaces and means for advertising purposes and symbols in order to harm the institutions of the Algerian Republic.

Ben Ali Cherif said that O’Rourke tweet does not concern anyone but him, adding that Algeria is waiting for an official answer to be communicated in accordance with the accepted forms, customs and traditions of diplomatic practice, and that this tween, in addition to being unrelated to the questions of the Algerian side, at the same time, does not answer the purpose of summoning the European Ambassador to seek clarifications regarding the use of the UE symbols and means by Mrs Lefévre or Leila Haddad, for the benefit of media in another purpose for which it was found, but to attack Algeria and its symbols and institutions.

“The Foreign Ministry is waiting for an official response to the questions that were raised by its General Secretary when he was summoned”.

On the other hand, Well-informed source said to Echorouk, on Monday that the story of the video which is “offensive to the Algerian state institutions”, is intended and that certain parties are behind it, adding that many stakeholders within the European Union are targeting Algeria and they want to distort its image, while they confirmed that “Algiers will not remain silent and will escalate the situation more if it will not received explanations from the European side.”

Foreign Ministry Requests A Formal Response .. The possibility Of Escalation Is Contained

The source went further, saying that the ambassador could be summoned again, and did not reveal the next stage of escalation, saying only that the ambassador was summoned last Saturday, adding: “Algeria neither ask journalists to keep silent nor suppress their freedom of expression, but demands clarification of the presence of the European flag and symbols of the European Union in the video, at a time when the European Union’s legislation confirms that any media practice for the benefit of a particular party is related to a special struggle or outside the task on which the journalist is relying, and accreditation can be withdrawn from him.

The source ruled out the link between the import ban measures that were taken by Algeria which angered the European Union during the beginning of this year, and the controversial video. However, he asserted that negotiations with Europe are continuing to amend the Partnership Agreement, in which only the commercial sector has been implemented and for the benefit of the European Union, saying : “We will not accept pressure on us because of the import procedures in this way, as the interest and security of our country comes first.”

500.000 Euros To Create “ENNISAA” Channel

On the other hand, the source reported that the Algerian-Lebanese journalist Leila Haddad, has already published the same speech that was raised in the video on February, 4, 2018. However, the Foreign Ministry did not act because this speech was not covered by the European Union or any official organization or party, as the journalist had already addressed the same words through a Moroccan television channel, but the situation this time is different, especially since the latter has already asked the Foreign Ministry for 500.000 euros to create a television channel “Ennisaa”, but Algeria refused confirming: “We will not accept any extortion from any party”.