![Spanish Representatives Oppose Morocco’s Joint Bid with Spain and Portugal Spain’ Prime Minister proposed a trio bid with Morocco and Portugal to host the 2030 World Cup; but the idea does not appear to be popular with Spanish politicians. The representatives of two Spanish political parties, the People’s Party and the Citizens-Party, have said they do not want Spain to submit a joint candidacy with Portugal and Morocco for the 2030 World Cup. In a meeting organized by the National Federation of Sports Facilities Entrepreneurs (FNEID) in Madrid, the People’s party representative, Vicente Azpitarte dismissively spoke about Spain joining a trio with Morocco and Portugal to organize the World Cup. Azpitarte specifically wondered whether Spain would get any advantages from teaming up with the two countries, t Spanish news outlet Iusport reported on Wednesday. The Citizens-Party representative, Roberto Nunez, agreed with Azpitarte. “We do not intend to organize a World Cup with other countries. Spain has more than enough capacity [to organize the World Cup], it is a country that has already organized a World Cup, and we do not understand that proposal,” Nunez said. The adviser of United Podemos, Oscar Penas, stated that he does not clearly see why “the priority is to organize a World Cup or an Olympiad at this time.” Morocco and Spain cooperate on a number of issues, ranging from security and migration to trade and education. On November 18, the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, arrived in Morocco for a first visit since his election to premiership. During his visit, Sanchez proposed to both Head of Government Saad Eddine El Othmani and King Mohammed VI a joint bid for the 2030 World Cup. “We are launching a joint message, which is that this will be a bid between two continents. The King of Morocco is receptive and we’re going to work on it with Portugal. We are very excited about it,” Sanchez said.](https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/ABL-Launches-in-Casablanca-Becoming-Africa’s-First-Aircraft-Leaser-180x135.jpeg "ABL Launches in Casablanca, Becoming Africa’s First Aircraft Leaser")
“This ordeal should not affect the image of this country and its hospitable people,” said Claudia Wiedey.
By Zakaria Ouadghiri
Rabat – Claudia Wiedey, EU ambassador to Morocco, expressed her solidarity with Morocco in the wake of the murder of two Scandinavian hikers near Imlil in the Atlas Mountains.
“We express our solidarity with Moroccans in this ordeal, which should not affect the image of this country and its hospitable people,” Wiedey wrote in Arabic on Facebook.
“On behalf of my Moroccan and European colleagues and on my own behalf, we would like to express our sincere condolences and deep sympathy to the family and friends of the two girls who were tragically killed in the Imlil region,” she added.
The ambassador lamented that several EU countries have suffered from such horrific acts and the consequences that follow.
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Authorities found the bodies of the two tourists, Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, from Denmark and Maren Ueland, 28, from Norway, on Monday. The women were found 10 kilometers from the village of Imlil, a destination well known for hiking and camping near Mount Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa.
According to the Moroccan embassy in Norway and Iceland, the Moroccan Plural Association in Casablanca dedicated a seminar called “Salam, Shalom, Salut” yesterday to the memory of Louisa and Maren.
“May they rest in peace, may their families find here the expression of our compassion and solidarity,” reads the association’s statement.
The embassy also said the Moroccan Socialist Women’s organization called for a gathering of solidarity with the victims’ families on Saturday near the embassies of Norway and Denmark in Rabat.
Morocco’s Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation (BCIJ) arrested the first suspect on Tuesday, and three more suspects on Thursday in Marrakech.
Moroccan security services are investigating the case as a potential terror attack.
In a press conference today in Rabat, Government Spokesperson Mustapha El Khalfi said that the government condemned the murder of the tourists. El Khalfi said that Head of Government Saad Eddine El Othmani described the crime as “a “stab in our back.”
