No democracy in Morocco, without sound justice, official

A Moroccan official stressed that Morocco cannot aspire to a genuine democracy without a sound judicial system.

In the absence of a sound justice, there can be no genuine democracy, no rule of law and no economic growth, justice minister, Omar Azzimane, told the Moroccan TV channel 2M.

The official-- who was guest to the broadcast "entretien"-- underlined that justice is at the crossroad of any salvation evolution of this country.

Morocco is currently endeavoring to reform its judicial system to make it match its aspirations to development and modernization, he said.

Part of these reform drives, Azzimane cited the creation of a High Court that will try ministers in case they offend the law, and a draft bill setting mechanism to lift immunity on MPs. The two texts may be tabled before the parliament at the same time, Azzimane said underlining the "strong symbolic" of this timing.

The drafts will be strong signals, he said, adding "We will see how the judicial authority is really playing its constitutional role .and becoming a genuine third power."

Azzimane also hailed the work accomplished by trade courts, set up some two years ago to keep pace with the important legal changes witnessed by Morocco in matters of economic and business law, and called the private sector to accompany these reforms that already yielded positive results, to invest more, to set up more enterprises and to create jobs.