Algeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has responded to French President Emmanuel Macron’s letter calling for a tougher stance toward Algeria, stating that France “is absolving itself of responsibility and placing all the blame on the Algerian side.”
The ministry stressed that Algeria “never requested the signing of a bilateral agreement to exempt holders of diplomatic and service passports from visas,” noting that Macron’s move gave Algeria “the opportunity to terminate the passport agreement with complete simplicity and clarity.”
This comes after Macron instructed his government to adopt a firmer approach toward Algiers, citing issues such as the prison sentences against writer Boualem Sansal and journalist Christophe Gleizes, as well as his request to suspend the 2013 agreement granting visa exemptions for official and diplomatic passports.
