Morocco’s parliament to reconsider ties with European Parliament

RABAT - Morocco’s parliament on Monday unanimously condemned the European Parliament’s (EP) report on press freedom in the North African kingdom and decided to reconsider its ties with Strasbourg and subject them to a comprehensive evaluation.

During a joint plenary session of the two Houses of Parliament, political parties and trade unions categorically condemned the EP’s report, reiterated their trust in Moroccan institutions, including the judiciary and demand respect of the country’s sovereignty.

A corruption scandal involving European Parliament members that erupted last month shook EU circles in Brussels.

In a non-binding text adopted on Thursday, MEPs urged Morocco to "respect freedom of expression and media freedom" and to "guarantee imprisoned journalists... a fair trial."

“The Parliament of the Kingdom of Morocco, with its two chambers, condemns the malicious campaign that our country has been exposed to, the latest development of which was the European Parliament’s vote on a recommendation on January 19, 2023, and notes with great astonishment and indignation this recommendation, which destroyed the levels of trust between the Moroccan and European legislative institutions, and profoundly touched the positive accumulations that took several decades to achieve,” said a statement read out by parliament speaker Rachid Talbi El Alami.

“The Moroccan Parliament regrets that the European Parliament has acquiesced to some hostile parties within it and lured it into their misleading campaign targeting a long-standing and credible partner that plays major roles in protecting rights and freedoms and defending regional and international peace and security, and is considered a pillar of stability and a support for good neighbourliness and understanding between peoples, civilizations and cultures,” said the statement.

The Moroccan Parliament strongly condemned the hostile attempts to harm Morocco’s interests and image, and the distinguished and long-standing relations between Morocco and the European Union, which are based on common values, principles, and mutual interests.

It also considered the EU’s recommendation an unacceptable transgression of its competences and powers, and an unacceptable encroachment on its sovereignty and the sanctity and independence of its judicial institutions, expressing its absolute rejection of guardianship tendencies or taking lessons from any party, regardless of the level of relations it has with the North African kingdom.

The Moroccan Parliament, with all its components and political spectrum, expressed its disappointment at the “negative attitude and non-constructive role” played, during the discussions in the EP and the consultations on the draft recommendation against our country, by some political groups belonging to a country that is a historical partner of Morocco.

The Moroccan Parliament said it “does not need to reaffirm” the kingdom's adherence to human rights as they are internationally recognized.

“The Kingdom is distinguished in its regional environment by the dynamism of its civil society, the vitality of its media arena, the credibility of its independent and effective institutions and mechanisms in the field of the rights of individuals and groups, as well as its active commitment to relevant international covenants, and its willingness to move forward in consolidating and strengthening the state of institutions within the framework of partisan and political pluralism as well as freedom of opinion and expression,” said the statement.

Is the European Parliament still a strategic partner of the Moroccan Parliament?

The Moroccan parliament stressed that it has always been a space for multidimensional dialogue and communication, as it has hosted many international, continental and regional conferences and public and thematic meetings that focused on current issues such as combating terrorism, defending peace, democracy, immigration, human rights and the environment, and integrating youth into society, development, equality between men and women, and others.

It said that it considers that many joint parliamentary projects and programs between the two institutions are today the subject of questions and accountability in the light of the recent recommendation of the EP, wondering if the EP was still a strategic partner of the Moroccan Parliament.

Exploitation and politicization of cases

The Moroccan parliament rejected the exploitation and politicization of cases that are at the core of the jurisdiction of the criminal judiciary and fall under the category of public right cases, in respect of which court rulings have been issued on charges that are not at all related to any journalistic activity or the exercise of freedom of opinion and expression, but are related to crimes such as human trafficking and sexual assault.

“Exploiting the fragility of people is punished by the laws of different countries of the world. In this regard, the Moroccan parliament stresses the need to respect the sanctity and independence of the Moroccan judiciary, which has always been keen to provide the conditions and components for a fair trial,” said the statement.

EP’s decision has undermined the foundations of trust

The Moroccan Parliament warned that the EP’s decision has undermined the foundations of trust and cooperation between them, and affected the positive accumulations that have been achieved over decades of joint work, at a time when they were all looking forward to new and promising horizons in relations between the two institutions for greater efficiency and coordination for the interest shared by their peoples.

“The Moroccan Parliament considers that the recommendation of the European Parliament repudiated all institutional mechanisms for dialogue and coordination, which were specifically created to serve as a space for comprehensive and frank dialogue and discussion within the framework of partnership and mutual respect,” said the statement.

“Thus, it has emptied it of its content and lost its meaning, and has disregarded the contents and decisions of the bilateral and multilateral meetings, and the tireless efforts made by the Morocco-EU Joint Parliamentary Committee, since its creation in October 2010, which concretely enshrined the parliamentary dimension of the partnership between Morocco and the European Union and played an important role in strengthening and institutionalizing relations between the Moroccan and European parliaments,” it added.

The Moroccan parliament called on the European political forces to show wisdom and sobriety and to reject the deliberate confusion between the human rights protected in Morocco by the constitution, laws and institutions on the one hand, and the allegations that lack credibility promoted by some parties and organizations known for their hostile stances against Morocco, on the other hand.

To sum it up, the Moroccan Parliament said it decided to Reconsider its relations with the EP and subject them to a comprehensive evaluation in order to take appropriate and firm decisions.

Abdellah Bouanou from the Party of Justice and Development told the Parliement that Morocco’s path of development “is now deranging,” slamming Europe’s double standards of freedom of speech.

“The burning of the Holy Koran in Sweden is called by Europe as freedom of speech,” said Boaunou.

Mohammed Ghiyate from the ruling RNI party criticised the EP for not meddling in their own affairs but gave themselves the right to meddle in others’ business.

“Has Morocco’s economic and social stability become a source of bother in some countries in Europe?” asked Ghiyate.

Nabila Mounib from the opposition PSU party called for boosting economic and political ties with real partners based on a win-win approach.