(Zineb Ed-Dlimi - Rabat Bureau)
Mohamed Adal, Parliamentary Counselor for the Constitutional, Democratic and Social Group, addressed an urgent oral question yesterday, Tuesday, in the House of Councillors to Nabil Benabdellah, Minister of National Territory Planning, Urbanism, Housing, and City Policy, concerning any government project to adapt urban planning legislation to regional specificities, noting that there are major difficulties in implementing "Urban Planning" Law 6612.
In his response to Nabil Benabdellah, Mohamed Adal, representing the Constitutional Group, called for the amendment of the law due to the major difficulties and embarrassment it causes elected officials with citizens. Therefore, he argued, it must adapt to remote areas known as "useless Morocco," while taking into account the poor infrastructure and poverty these cities suffer from.
Notably, the Minister praised the importance of the Constitutional Group's question in his reply, emphasizing that linking the urban planning approach with regional challenges in our country is a vital matter. He pointed out that urban planning documents—whether regarding housing, industrial and commercial zones, public facilities, or development plans for rural urban agglomerations—all possess a legal and technical reference framework at the level of communes and local authorities, which collaborate to integrate local and regional recommendations into their orientations.
The Minister of Urbanism indicated that Law 11114 and its Article 89 stipulate that the regional council must establish a fundamental document, namely the regional document for national territory planning. Furthermore, Article 90 of the same law confirms that the administration, territorial communities, and public institutions and enterprises must take into account the contents of the regional plan for national territory planning, and the Ministry will seek to develop this in coordination with these regions.
The heads of the majority groups in the House of Councillors held a meeting to evaluate parliamentary performance, praising the majority's harmony and the government's efforts amid global economic and climatic challenges. The session concluded with renewed comprehensive support for implementing the government program and the election of Mohamed Bakouri as coordinator for the majority groups.
Karim Chahid, Head of the Constitutional Democratic Social group in the House of Councillors, called on the Minister of Equipment and Water to generalize protective barriers along the motorway network to reduce accidents and protect users. He also highlighted the negative impact of continuous maintenance works on traffic flow across key routes (such as Rabat-Fes and Casablanca-Marrakech), urging the relocation of toll stations to highway exits to avoid unnecessary stops and ensure high-quality service.
The Bureau of the House of Representatives decided to establish a joint thematic committee between both houses of parliament to reassess relations with the European Parliament, following false allegations and attacks from certain parties within it. The decision was made during a meeting attended by parliamentary group heads, alongside plans for an upcoming study and media session.
