Spain to process Moroccans' requests for regularization, Minister

Delegate Minister for Moroccan Expatriates, Nouzha Chekrouni said, in Madrid Tuesday, that Spanish authorities have given her assurances that all requests filed by Moroccan immigrants for regularization in Spain will be processed.

"Discussions with my Spanish colleague took place in a climate of frankness and confidence, which allowed me to expose the difficulties facing Moroccan immigrants who seek residence in Spain," Chekrouni told MAP.

Moroccan expatriates whose files are likely to be rejected, for lack of residence certificate, may resort to other means to prove their presence on the Spanish soil for more than six months, she said.

Moroccan requests represent 15% of the total regularization requests.

Chekrouni also suggested to her Spanish counterpart the creation, in Spain, of Moroccan cultural centers to "promote the richness of this culture, attenuate xenophobic sentiments in Spain and assuage Moroccan expatriates' feeling of being uprooted."

The two parties also agreed to set up a training program for NGOs on the Morocco's new Family Code, notably aspects relating to Moroccans living abroad.

Chekrouni's visit to Spain came amid protests by hundreds of undocumented Moroccan workers who took to the street on Sunday in the Spanish southern city of Murcia to denounce employers' refusal to take moves to regularize their situation.

Since Spanish authorities launched the operation of regularizing the situation of "undocumented" immigrants, only some 4,600 requests of Moroccan expatriates have been processed.