After a three-month suspension, Air Algeria flights for the repatriation of Algerians stranded abroad resumed in early December. This news was greeted with great relief by the thousands of compatriots trapped abroad since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Nevertheless, there is a big problem: the operation is limited both in time (until December 19) and by the number of flights planned (24, most of which from French airports) and that of the citizens concerned. (around 5,000, according to Air Algérie).
However, the number of those waiting to return home for one reason or another is much larger. In other words, there is no room for everyone.
On social networks, we continue to hear complaints and grievances. In question, it seems, the opacity in which the authorizations to return on the national territory would be granted.
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“After the airspace is opened for our brothers stranded abroad, who issues the re-entry? Many are struggling without finding a solution, “we read, for example, in a post posted by the Algerian Consumer Protection Association (APOCE).
To read the comments of the Net surfers, it seems indeed that many are baffled. Even if they are aware of the procedure to be followed, particularly through consular bodies, some do not know which party has the last word.
This part is the services of the Ministry of the Interior. They are the ones who, since the start of the repatriation, receive the requests through a digital platform.
They are still the ones who sort the registrations and decide who qualifies or not to embark on a return home, in total opacity. Attempts at “infiltration” were recorded during the very first operations, coming from Algerians residing legally abroad or in an irregular situation, some without travel documents and other categories.
And it is quite logically that the authorities wanted to ensure the identity and the situation of each so that those who are not obliged to return immediately do not take the place of travelers, tourists and patients taken aback and without resources abroad.
But inevitably, privileges, push and favoritism are exposed, as well as a certain “opacity” and bureaucratic shackles.
We do not know in what proportions the phenomenon exists, but the denunciations are there, numerous. For emigration deputy Noureddine Belmeddah, only a normal resumption of air and sea traffic could satisfy everyone and will prevent falling “into the trap of favoritism”. In the meantime, he proposes to entrust the preparation of lists of people to be repatriated to the consulates.
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“From my perspective, the authorities (the government) need to hand over to consular services overseas to draw up the lists. It is these services which are closest to Algerians abroad, which collect their grievances and therefore, they are able to say who has priority. It would be better for the lists (of returnees) to be drawn up at the level of the consulates which will have to assume their responsibilities, ”suggests the parliamentarian in a statement to TSA yesterday Saturday.
It is in fact the consular services which deal directly with the stranded citizens, know their real situation and observe their living conditions on a daily basis. While the Interior Ministry has data related to civil status and security at the central level, Algerian consular representations are undoubtedly better placed to rule on other considerations.
