Algerian Radio
The file of "obligations to leave French territory" (OQTF) has become a slogan brandished by a segment of the French political class for electoral purposes, the daily newspaper "Le Soir d'Algérie" stated in its Tuesday edition.
"For several years, a segment of the French political class has been brandishing the issue of obligations to leave French territory to accuse Algiers of obstruction. While Paris instrumentalizes this file for electoral purposes, Algiers proves its goodwill, notably through the presidential initiative which has already allowed 320 undocumented young Algerians to return home," the daily writes in its article titled "OQTFs Concerning Algerians in France: Paris's Lie Machine."
To support its claims, the newspaper points to "stubborn facts," highlighting that "out of the 179 consular passes recently issued by Algeria, only 90 were actually utilized by the French administration."
The daily adds that this issue has become a "leitmotif" and a "slogan" placed at the center of relations between the two countries, brandished like "a red card in the face of the Algerian authorities." It recalls that French ministers, including "the sinister" Bruno Retailleau (former Minister of the Interior), have relentlessly accused Algiers of blocking the issuance of consular passes.
"It is important to know that the issuance of consular passes follows a strict procedure that requires a certain amount of time, particularly regarding the review of the file, as the Algerian side is required to verify that the individual concerned is indeed an Algerian national. However, the current situation demonstrates the bad faith of the French side, and above all, the desire to use this issue to attack Algeria," the newspaper further explained.
And the publication questions: "Why do French authorities not show political sincerity by acknowledging that Algeria is not in denial?" maintaining that the OQTF file "is nothing but an empty shell serving the objectives of the far-right in this pre-electoral period."
The newspaper concludes by asserting that, on the other hand, the initiative launched at the beginning of the current year by the President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, for the benefit of Algerians who left the country irregularly, has yielded "concrete results," noting that "320 young people have been able to regularize their situation and return home."
