A visit that raises all the more questions as part of it took place in Laayoune, the most important city in Western Sahara and located in a region considered a “non-self-governing territory” by the UN.
The dubious trip, paid for by Morocco, of four MR deputies to Western Sahara
In a news already marked by many scandals, this new controversy goes badly. And the information made the Belgian political world react.
François De Smet, president of Défi, thus criticized the situation and pointed the finger at the (non) role played by the Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hadja Lahbib, also a member of the MR. “And so, parliamentarians go, at Morocco’s expense, to Western Sahara, a territory whose annexation is not recognized by Belgium. Does the Minister MR for Foreign Affairs approve of such a trip, which puts our diplomacy completely out of whack?”writes François De Smet on Twitter.
And so, parliamentarians go, at Morocco’s expense, to Western Sahara, a territory whose annexation is not recognized by Belgium.
Does Minister MR for Foreign Affairs approve of such a trip, which puts our diplomacy completely out of whack? https://t.co/YJLByI2WkM— François De Smet ???????????????????????? (@francoisdesmet) January 19, 2023
Another political figure blasted the case on social media. John Pitseys, leader of the Écolo group in front of the Brussels Parliament, comments as follows: “The visit to Morocco by MR parliamentarians is not a parliamentary mission. It is a party visit, a partisan visit that assumes a dimension of parallel diplomacy. It is also in this respect that it represents a political error.”
Another environmentalist reacted, in the person of deputy Guillaume Defossé. He also expresses his astonishment. “If deputies are offered a trip like the four liberals from Brussels, when they speak, is it always the party or it is Morocco? How can we now interpret the support expressed by certain MRs for the “plan of autonomy “of Morocco for the Western Sahara?”asks the deputy, who adds in another tweet that “false naivety has its limits”.
If Members of Parliament are offered a trip like the 4 @MR_official people from Brussels, when they speak, is it always the party or is it Morocco? How should we now interpret the support expressed by certain RMs for Morocco’s “autonomy plan” for Western Sahara?
— Guillaume Defossé (@GuillaumeDef) January 19, 2023