An episode (11/10/2022) of the "Shabakat" program shed light on the French decision and the stand organized by the Moroccan Association for Human Rights, which calls for European policies that respect freedom of movement.
These stresses on French visas were not new;
More than a year ago, the French government tightened the conditions for granting visas and halved them for Moroccans and Algerians, and by 30% for Tunisians;
Alleging that the three countries did not cooperate with them in the return of irregular migrants.
Moroccan MP Fatima Al-Tamni called - in a letter to her country's foreign minister - to reconsider the official approach adopted by Morocco, especially with regard to countries that impose visas on Moroccans, within the framework of reciprocity.
Official statistics of the French Ministry of the Interior show that the number of visas granted to Moroccans in 2019 amounted to 364,000, but in 2021 it decreased to about 98,000 visas only, which shrank to less than a third.
Activist Abdelilah demanded the French embassy to return the money of the people who were not granted the visa, with an explanation of the reasons for the refusal. He said, "The French embassy in Morocco was the first to give a definitive answer to all Moroccans, why France canceled Moroccan travel visas, especially doctors, students, engineers, company managers, as well as patients. And that She answers why she did not return the price of the canceled visa, and this is considered theft in all its descriptions.
In turn, Anas wondered about the role of the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding what is happening. He wrote, "People who have paid the visa for more than a year, and tourist visas for people who have paid (their price for) more than 6 months. The question is, where is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from what happens to Moroccans? Why this silence?
Marouane Marouani believes that the policy of bartering with France is very important, and he said: "After the visa crisis, I hope that Moroccan officials will take France's mentality seriously and negotiate everything with France for the sake of Morocco, all of Morocco, with the same seriousness, by making the visa issue a priority of the terms Dear deals for France.
Hassan Ahizoun called for a boycott of French products, tweeting, "Moroccans must boycott all French companies."
Ben Omar accused France of trying to pressure Maghreb governments by reducing visas, so he wrote, "Depriving Moroccans of visas is a way to pressure Morocco, the aim of which is to obtain interests or contracts. France is waiting (waiting) for Moroccans (to) protest and pressure the state, and I am as a Moroccan. As we applaud (I salute) the state for the palm (ignoring) it gave them, and as we recommend it (we recommend it) to increase it.”
And the critical voices were not only from outside France;
French MP Eileen Conway Moreh - in a session of the French Senate - considered what is happening collective punishment, and said, "This policy is like a collective punishment for those who go to France for family and professional purposes. It is time to leave it to the consulates to examine the applications. The measures that have been taken are ineffective: Illegal immigration has not stopped. It is time to negotiate bilateral agreements."