France will reduce the number of visas granted to citizens of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia amind an ongoing dispute with the North African countries.
French President Emmanuel Macron has slashed the number of visas issued to Algerian and Moroccan nationals by 50% and 30% for Tunisians.
According to French government spokesman Gabriel Attal, the action comes after Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia continue to refuse to grant such nationals “consular passes” to return to their countries.
“It’s a drastic decision, and unprecedented, but one made necessary by the fact that these countries are refusing to take back nationals who we do not want or cannot keep in France,” Attal told Europe 1 radio on Tuesday. “We had a dialog with certain Maghreb countries, then came the threats. Today we are carrying out these threats.”
During the first half of 2021, French courts rejected 7,731 visa requests by Algeria. Twenty-two were expelled. Eighty people from Morocco were expelled (3,301 rejected visa requests), and for Tunisia, 131 people were expelled (3,424 rejected visa requests).
Attal says he hopes the measure will invoke cooperation between all parties.
Morocco’s Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita slammed the move.
“The decision [by France] is sovereign. Morocco will study it, but the reasons given to justify it require explanation and a dialogue, because they do not reflect reality,” Bourita said.
While the office of Tunisian President Kais Saied iterated its wish to maintain good relations with the European country. “We are among countries that are cooperative in this domain, and we have excellent relations with France,” the statement reads.
