Geneva, Switzerland – Ambassador Abbi Bachraya Bachir, representative of the Polisario Front in Switzerland and at the United Nations, has warned of possible international legal action, including in the European Court of Justice, if Spain continues to support Morocco’s expansionist ambitions in Western Sahara.
In an interview with Radio Algeria International, Bachir stressed that the Spanish government has not only politically backed Morocco’s aspirations, but has also provided legal tools to legitimise the occupation and annexation of Western Sahara. He explained that the displacement of the Saharawi population in the Occupied Areas is linked to Morocco’s persistent settlement policy and illegal exploitation of resources.
On the possible cession of the management of the airspace in the occupied zones, Bachir mentioned the lack of official confirmation, but pointed out that the Spanish government, since March 2022, has abandoned its historical responsibility towards the Saharawi people, evidenced by the letter of President Pedro Sanchez to the King of Morocco, where he supports the proposal for autonomy in Western Sahara.
The Saharawi ambassador underlined that Spain’s position undermines stability in the Maghreb and recalled the rulings of the EU Court of Justice, which recognises the separation between Morocco and Western Sahara, granting exclusive sovereignty to the Saharawi people, represented by the Polisario Front.
In the context of the conflict involving Spain as an administering power, the Frente POLISARIO urges the Spanish government to reconsider its position and not to stand with Morocco in the EU Court of Justice, thus preserving the rights of Western Sahara in the trade and fisheries agreements with the European Union.