European Parliament: MEP calls for withdrawing invitation to Polisario

Member of the European Parliament Thierry Mariani has called for rescinding the invitation extended by the far-leftist group to the Polisario militia to a behind-closed doors meeting to be organized by the Committee on international trade on January 29.

The committee is expected to discuss the ruling issued last October by the European Court of Justice scrapping EU fisheries & agricultural deals with Morocco because they included goods from the Sahara territory.

At the European parliament, several members of “Patriots for Europe” group, including Thierry Mariani, denounced Polisario invite, saying appearance before MEPs of a separatist militia, backed by Algeria and involved in embezzlement of humanitarian aid, will damage the Parliament’s credibility.

Addressing Tuesday European lawmakers, Mr. Thierry said: “the meeting initiated by the far-left undermines our relations with Morocco and discredits our institution.”

He called for the cancellation of such a scandalous meeting, saying “the Polisario militia is supported by Algeria to destabilize Morocco, an important partner for the European Union.”

Thierry Mariani also cited the reasons for rescinding such a meeting, underlining the Polisario’s ties with jihadists, their deadly rocket attacks launched against civilians in the Moroccan Sahara city of Smara in 2023 and 2024 and misappropriation of humanitarian aid in the Tindouf camps.

In December, the European Parliament dissolved the inter-parliamentary group that was supporting the Polisario, dealing a hard blow to the Algerian regime.