Algeria guarantees gas supply, but uncertainty about trade relations continues

The Spanish business sector operating in Algeria explains that their direct debits are still frozen and that “no news at the moment”. “On Monday I am going to see if we can go back to work with the ongoing shipments & rdquor ;, says a manager of a company that exports products to the neighboring country, but regrets that for now “everything is locked”. This Sunday, June 12, the first working day in Algeria, there was expectation that trade relations would be normalized, but for now, there is no news. From the sector they expect it to be unlocked in the coming days.

The business sector that works in the neighboring country is experiencing this situation of “blocking” since Thursday, when the employers of Algerian banks ordered to freeze direct debits foreign trade operations of products or services with origin or destination in Spain. A measure that, as explained by the sector, is still in force in practice, despite the latest statements by the Algerian authorities, which have denied that there is a cessation of commercial relations between the two countries.

“As for the supposed government measure to stop current transactions with a European partner, it only exists in the minds of those who claim it and those who they have been quick to stigmatize her“, stated the Algerian authorities in a statement of his delegation to the European Union on Friday.

In a second statement, on Saturday, the Algerian Foreign Ministry also stated that “the alleged suspension of trade and investment relations with Spain, included in said official declarations of the European Union, is rashly invoked without any foundation”.

Algerian outrage with the reaction of the EU

In these two communiqués, Algiers also underlined again and in writing its commitment to comply with current gas supply contracts to Spain. Algeria also showed its outrage with the “hasty” reaction of the European representatives, and I describe as “fanciful and malicious, the insinuations and questions related to the issue of Spain’s gas supply & rdquor ;. They added that it is the commercial companies that maintain these agreements that are responsible for complying with “all your contractual commitments”.

According to the Algerian authorities, the European Union has rushed in its reaction and defended that the “political disagreement & rdquor; that they maintain with Spain is of a “bilateral nature, without impact on Algeria’s commitment to the EU & rdquor ;. It was Algiers’ response to the European closing of ranks around Spain due to the crisis: the European institutions threatened to retaliate against Algeria if Algeria does not stop applying “coercive measures & rdquor; against Spain.

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The authorities of the neighboring country took this commercial retaliation against Spain after suspending the friendship treaty signed twenty years ago between the two countries. The trigger for the disagreement was the support of the Spanish Government to the Moroccan autonomy plan for Western Sahara. A change of position of the Moncloa that caused the end of the crisis with Morocco, but the beginning of a new diplomatic dispute with Algeria.

The authorities of the Maghreb country described this Wednesday as “unjustifiable” Spanish support for the Moroccan plan for autonomy and even argued that it goes against the international legality of its historical responsibility with this territory, a former Spanish colony. Three months ago Algiers already withdrew its ambassador in Madrid, Said Moussias the first warning of anger at the approach of the Spanish Government to the Moroccan theses.