Press review of April 12

Here are the issues that caught the interest of Moroccan dailies:

AL MASSAE

Strangers kidnap the manager of a company in Martil (northern Morocco) and demand a ransom of 600 million cents to set him free. Some say that drug trafficking is involved in the incident.

Communication minister, government spokesperson Mustapha El Khalfi to reveal shortly the list of the beneficiaries from the funding for the Moroccan cinema and sets the elaboration of terms of reference as a condition to publish the said list.

Travel agencies threaten to boycott pilgrimage in case their request of drawing up one registration list instead of two (one for the public sector and another for travel agencies) was refused.

Trade unions of the PJD, Istiqlal and USFP parties are joining efforts against the Interior ministry to meet the pressing needs of local authorities’ civil servants.

SG of rights council (CNDH) Mohamed Sebbar astonished by the statement of the head of the government on the direct employment of jobless graduates and says that the latter is obliged to abide by the commitments of the outgoing government.

AKHBAR AL YAOUM AL MAGHRIBIA

Violent clash between police forces and graduates, on the day of adopting the appropriation bill, as the jobless protestors were heading for the parliament.

The PAM party calls for turning the commemoration of the Anoual battle into a national day and bringing back home the body of late Mohamed Abdelkrim El Khattabi.

ASSABAH

608 people nabbed within two days as the security forces wage a war against individuals wanted for offences.

The list of accredited pharmacy diplomas angers professionals and students pursuing studies in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.

Elections heighten tension between majority’s components as the ruling party PJG puts pressure on the Interior minister to set a date for local elections. Sources say that the elections will not be held this summer due the delayed legal arsenal.

Chairman of RNI party Salaheddine Mezouar threatens to lodge lawsuits against people wrongfully taking the title of RNI member, alluding to those who left the party and then tried to go back ahead of the RNI national congress.

Opponents of Salaheddine Mezouar pressure him into holding an extraordinary session.

AL KHABAR

22 councilors of RNI party summoned by Casablanca’s judiciary police for alleged implication in illegal housing.

Sheikhs of salafia jihadia displeased with  justice minister Mustapha Ramid for backtracking on his commitments on their political and social integration.

Expatriates council (CCME) continues its activities even after the expiry of its mandate.

Trade Unions call for paying compensation for people who got fired and promulgating the unions’ law prior to that on strike.

AL AHDATH AL MAGHRIBIA

The government fails in its first social dialogue due to suspended commitments and pledges. The social partners urge the government to clear the air for social dialogue.

MPs from the majority slam ministers for their absence on the day of examining the budgets of their departments.

ANNAHAR AL MAGHRIBIA

The opposition accuses the government of turning a blind eye on the embezzlement of 50 billion dirhams in the education sector and calls on Abdelilah Benkirane to hold accountable those involved in the financial crime.

Trade unions attack Benkirane and accuse him of going back on the agreement dated April 26 and trying to impose the law on strike.

AL ITTIHAD AL ICHTIRAKI

The UMT trade union threatens to stage a strike that would paralyze all the country’s ports to protest against the indifference of the authorities in charge to the situation of officers, seamen and hotel-keepers in the companies of COMANAV and COMARIT.

A second round of social dialogue between the government and trade unions slated April 19.

AL ALAM

The Moroccan forum for truth and equality stages next Sunday a nation-wide march to call for the implementation of recommendations by the equity and reconciliation committee.

Union of local authorities reacts and holds the sector’s director general and finance director responsible for suspending their demands for over 12 years.

AL MOUNAATAF

On the basis of forecasts that crop production will not exceed 4 million tons, the inter-professional office of crops and legumes says that the stocks of soft wheat can supply the market only for another four months.

ASSAHRAE AL MAGHRIBIA

M’Barka Bouïda and Mohamed Aujjar, both members of RNI party’s executive bureau, vie for the party’s chairmanship and disrupt Mezouar’s calculations.

AUJOURD’HUI LE MAROC

A hectic start of the government’s mandate with a growing social tension, drought, and a delayed appropriation bill. In 100 days after the cabinet was sworn in, several sensational announcements were made, notably publishing the list of beneficiaries of transportation grants and subsidies.

LE MATIN DU SAHARA ET DU MAGHREB

100 days since the new government took office and it is not given any respite. The opposition criticizes the cabinet for failing, up to now, to imprint its style on its actions.

L’ECONOMISTE

Saidia resort: Morocco’s state fund (CDG) takes charge.  The Saidia development company (SDS) takes the helm and pledges to step up the resort’s development and turn it into a hot tourist destination.

LIBERATION

The socialist group triggers at the upper house a debate on banning the marriage of minors. Their bill of law, submitted in November 2010 to the said house, did not age a bit, on the contrary, it grew more important with the suicide of Amina Filali. Family judges are still accepting 92% of marriage application for minor girls.