Algeria is using the Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline, which it has suspended by a unilateral decision, to cover its internal difficulties, but this is counterproductive for its own citizens, underlined the president of the Maghreb delegation to the European Parliament, Andrea Cozzolino.
"Algeria uses the card of gas pipeline and energy as a means of political pressure in its relations with Europe and also to hide the difficulties it is currently experiencing at home in terms of the stability of its institutions. It believes it can reduce the internal pressure in this way, but it is not,'' said the Italian MEP, who answered questions from the platform ''Total Production EU'' from the studios of the European Parliament, thereby relativizing the impact of the closure of the pipeline on Europe.
Mr. Cozzolino explained that "this decision has a minimal impact on Europe, but it is on the other hand unfavorable to Algerian citizens, because with less gas sales to Europe, there will automatically be less resources for the Algeria and therefore a real impact on its growth, its economy and its citizens''.
In this regard, the MEP raised the issue of energy security in Europe, emphasizing in particular clean energies and prohibiting the political instrumentalisation of energy supply.
"We need an international moratorium that prevents the use of energy sources as a means of political pressure," he stressed.
Mr. Cazzolino also welcomed the efforts made by Morocco in the production of green energy.
"Morocco is showing us the way forward with renewable energies (solar, wind and the promising potential of green hydrogen)", said the MEP.
The MEP said that Morocco is a model of governance, a haven of peace and a hub for growth, while underlining the Kingdom's stabilizing role in the Euro-Mediterranean region.
"Morocco is a haven of stability. In recent years, it has given us the example of a growing country with strong economic resilience and exemplary democratic change," he said.
The last elections, he explained, "confirmed all this with a very large participation of the population, especially young people, which was the real characteristic of this poll".
"More than 3 million boys and girls participated and it brought about a total change, even in the level of political presence in the Moroccan parliament. We need this to happen in Algeria and Tunisia," he added.
