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Here follow the main subjects addressed by the Moroccan dailies issued on March 2:
Al Massae:
The Ministry of Equipment and Transport discloses the list of the 4118 beneficiaries of transport grants. The list includes political and religious personalities, artists, sportsmen and soldiers. It even includes wealthy men who have benefited from more than one grant.
Security forces move in to disperse a sit-in in front of the water and electricity distribution agency in Marrakech. Hundreds of associations ask Benkirane and his Justice and Interior ministers to put an end to protests in public service.
Families of Moroccan prisoners in Iraq ask the Foreign Minister to intercede with Iraq’s authorities to save their sons’ lives. The families of these Moroccans sentenced to death formed a coordination committee to make their case known and called on the Foreign Minister Saad El Dine Otmani to raise this issue with the Iraqi officials on the occasion of the holding of the Arab League Council.
Teachers insurrect against the Benkirane government following deductions of 1500 dirhams from salaries, decided by the education minister Mohamed El Ouafa. Sources say deductions from 500 to 1500 dirhams concerned thousands of salaries for the month of February without any legal basis.
Akhbar Al Yaoum Al Maghribia:
Abdelilah Benkirane gives go-ahead to his Minister of Equipment and Transport Abdelaziz Rebbah to publish the list of beneficiaries of transport grants. Rebbah says the publication of this list is consistent with the provisions of the new Constitution.
The intense activities of the Justice and Freedoms Minister, Mustapha Ramid, bother some officials of other bodies, including the National Council for Human Rights (CNDH) and the Interministerial Delegation for Human Rights. The last cause of such bother was the fact that the Justice Minister was entrusted with the ratification by Morocco of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons against Enforced Disappearance, and with the Kingdom’s submission of candidature for the UN Human Rights Council for the period 2014-2016.
Assabah:
An extremist group threatens Morocco with terrorist acts. Sources say the group called “Attawhid wal Jihad fi al-Maghrib al Aqsa” strongly attacked the Benkirane Government, calling it a cabinet of “apostates” who do not apply the precepts of Islam and practice blackmail on sheikhs, in reference to a meeting held by the Justice Minister with the Salafi inmates.
Abdelilah Benkirane responds to Abbas El Fassi’s requests and keeps 40 members of the Istiqlal party in his office, thus depriving active members of his party (PJD) from joining his cabinet to except Jamâa Mouatassim, appointed as director of Benkirane’s office.
Lahcen Daoudi: “The government will resign if it fails in the fight against corruption”. The Minister of Higher Education, Executive Training and Scientific Research says that cohabitation with the monarchy cannot be subject of discussion because it is part of the basics of the government action. Furthermore, he noted that Abdelilah Benkirane will not be the sole candidate for the post of PJD Secretary General.
Al Khabar:
The Transport Ministry unveils the names of recipients of transport grants and a ministry source said that the ministry fulfilled its duty by disclosing the list of beneficiaries, adding that other departments must follow suit in this regard.
The Casablanca wholesale market for fruits and vegetables is concerned by the investigation into the Airport Company (ONDA): sources indicate that one of the detainees in the ONDA case revealed that contracts worth millions of dirhams were concluded between the ONDA and traders in the wholesale market for fruits and vegetables that the ONDA used to buy at exorbitant prices.
Hamid Chabat expresses refusal of the Istiqlal party of the war waged by the government against trade unions and calls on the Head of Government to enter into social dialogue.
Al Ahdath Al Maghribia:
Elections may postpone the holding of the Istiqlal party’s congress: Some members of the preparatory commission of the extraordinary congress of the party call for taking enough time before scheduling the next Congress, noting that the holding of the Congress would be impossible if the government decides to hold elections early next summer.
The government discusses the Appropriation Bill without adopting it: The budget provides for 2 billion dirhams to finance programmes related to medical aid, the fight against school dropout and benefits for the disabled.
Water and electricity bills anger the inhabitants of Marrakech who clashed with security forces: Civil society actors call on the Head of Government and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to take urgent action towards a tangible solution to the claims of the inhabitants.
Annahar Al Maghribia:
An extremist group called “Tawhid wal Jihad fi al-Maghrib al-Aqsa” says the PJD members of the Benkirane government as “traitors” and “apostates” who instrumentalise negotiations with Salafists.
Al Ittihad Al Ichtiraki:
The Equipment and Transport Minister Abdelaziz Rebbah publishes the list of beneficiaries of transport grants: The list includes names of political, economic, military, arts and sports figures. Names are cited among orphans, disabled and poor people as well as members of the Resistance and Liberation Army.
Attajdid:
The Ministry of Equipment and Transport unveils the list of beneficiaries of transport grants: 70% of the grants were subject to lease and 24% of them were suspended.
Al Alam:
Water and electricity bills fuel tension in Marrakech and Chichaoua: huge arrests and injured during violent clashes between the police and citizens.
Bayane Al Yaoum:
Publication of the list of beneficiaries of the transport grants pending the publication of other lists. The 399-page list reveals that the number of grants reached 4118 while the number of beneficiaries exceeds 3600.
Risalat al Oumma:
Farmers in the Gharb region call on the government to declare the region stricken and to write off their debts: the Gharb agriculture actors stress the need to help farmers who have sustained a big loss due to frost and consider the Gharb as a stricken region.
Al Mounaataf:
More than 6,000 people staged a protest march following the arrest of nearly 50 others who led sit-in in front of the water and electricity distribution agencies in Marrakech. The arrests took place after the publication of a government circular to disperse the sit-in.
The last two weeks of February recorded no rainfall and the Agriculture Minister’s assurances on the crop year were to no avail.
Le Soir Echos:
Transport Minister Rebbah dared to release the list of beneficiaries of transport grants. Other lists will follow.
Aujourd’hui Le Maroc:
1 billion dirhams, including 400 million dirhams of bank credits eaten up, for a phantom megaproject in Marrakech: Gulf Finance House dumps the Moroccan state. The project, a mega-tourist complex, had to be carried out at Marrakech by a consortium of Gulf investors led by the famous Bahraini conglomerate Gulf Finance House. Expected investment sum: 7.5 billion dirhams. Bahrainis had, in 2006, signed an investment agreement with the Moroccan government. Five years later, nothing has been done. Not only that, but three Moroccan banks granted Bahrainis a credit of 850 million dirhams, 400 million of which have already been swallowed up with no result.
Le Matin du Sahara et du Maghreb:
Public service: The trade unions are concerned: The unions call on the new government to implement the commitments made by the former government within the framework of social dialogue. The most insistent claims concern the public sector.
 L’Economiste:
Promises are made to be kept: Abdelaziz Rebbah, Equipment and Transport Minister, finally released the list of names of all beneficiaries of the transport grants. The list includes names of athletes, senior army officers, singers and descendants of former veterans. Some beneficiaries have more than one grant.
Liberation:
Rent-seeking, it is high time to end it. The publication by the Ministry of Equipment and Transport of the list of beneficiaries of transport grants is certainly a positive step but it remains insufficient. The true fight against rent-seeking requires much more than that. It is urgent to end this sorry chapter in national life, that gave rise to such practices and made them prosper.
Al Bayane:
– Drought is threatening: The crop year almost undermined. Time for pessimism. Not much to expect from the current crop year. All indicators are negative.
