By Jamal Saidi
By Jamal Saidi
Morocco World News
Casablanca, September 6, 2012
The current visit of the Saudi king to Morocco is taking place in an atmosphere of austerity, unlike previous times when large amounts of money were usually spent, the daily Al Massae reported on Tuesday.
Abdallah bin Abdul Aziz used to rent about 300 luxurious cars for his companions. Now, only 48 cars are being rented. The companies which usually provided the embassy of the Saudi Arabia with the necessary cars felt frustrated this time.
The source added that measures of austerity reached other sides of the visit. The king has previously paid millions of dirhams to both the workers in the touristic site Mazagane and the police who secured his transfer from Casablanca to Eljadida. Now, what might be described as lavish spending has become part of the past. The king is no longer as “generous” as he used to be.
The Saudi royal family owns palaces in Morocco, which seem to have become a favorite destination for King Abdallah, as he is facing health concerns.