Morocco authorities refuse services to German citizens, says embassy

The German Embassy in Rabat said on Thursday that the Moroccan authorities are refusing to provide services to German citizens in the country, without giving reasons, Anadolu has reported.

“Since 1 March, Morocco has unilaterally suspended its cooperation with the embassy as well as with German institutions, and also severed all channels of contact with the embassy, including the Consular Affairs office.”

A letter from the Moroccan Foreign Ministry to members of the government on the same date confirmed that this is the case. The ministry cited “crucial issues” for the decision to “sever relations with the German Embassy”, but no clarification was provided.

The embassy said that consular support within Morocco can only be “very limited” at the moment. It advised German citizens not to exceed the authorised grace period after the expiry of their visas and leave the country on time. “If any issues related to legal residence permits should arise, assistance from the embassy is unfortunately not possible, even if the Moroccan authorities direct the concerned persons to the embassy in Rabat.”

READ: Spain and the issue of Western Sahara 

According to a statement issued by the foreign ministry at the time, on 6 May Morocco summoned Ambassador Zohour Alaoui from Berlin for consultations because of Germany’s “negative” position on the issue of Western Sahara and “attempts to exclude Rabat from consultations on Libya”.

The Polisario Front has been engaged in a dispute with Morocco over sovereignty in Western Sahara since Spain ended its occupation of the region in 1975.

Furthermore, Morocco expressed its astonishment at being excluded from the Berlin International Conference on Libya, held on 19 January last year. Although Morocco has received an invitation from Germany to participate in the second such conference, it has not yet made a decision in this regard, local media reported a few days ago.