Algerian minister of interior criticizes presidential candidate over their demand to government resignation

The Algerian Minister of the Interior, Nour Eddine Yazid Zarhouni, criticized the request of the 10 Presidential candidate to have the government resign as a condition to guarantee a transparent elections.

He said, on the sideline of a visit carried out by President Abdul Aziz Butaflika to al-Shalf province, that the request is considered an escape from responsibility and an attempt to justify the failure of some of them and blaming the this on the administration.

Zarhouni said that the elections law was drawn by the opposition parliamentarians and ratified by the parliament, and therefore there is no way of accusing any side of falsification. He added that the responsibility of transparency of the elections is the responsibility of political parties. The minister rejected categorically the principle of resignation of the government, noting that there is no guarantee that the alternative is transparent.

The prime minister Ahmad O Yahya stressed he will remain on top of the executive system and organizing the presidential elections, and he vowed to abide by needed transparency.