Algeria complains of ‘hostility’ over Panama Papers

Algeria on Wednesday summoned the French ambassador to complain about a “hostile campaign” against the North African nation by French media following the “Panama Papers” leak.

French newspaper Le Monde on Tuesday published a front-page photo of Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika among leaders touched by the leak, before clarifying that his name does not appear in the Panama Papers.

Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra “protested vigorously to French Ambassador Bernard Emie who was summoned to the foreign ministry following the press campaign hostile to Algeria and its institutions,” the APS news agency said.

He urged the French authorities to “clearly mark their disapproval of this campaign which is incompatible with the quality and level of Algerian-French relations,” the source added.

The summons comes three days before French Prime Minister Manuel Valls is due to visit Algiers.

Le Monde has also reported, citing the Panama Papers, that Algerian industry minister Abdesselam Bouchouareb had an offshore company established in Panama in April 2015.

Its mission was to “manage a portfolio of real estate assets in the amount of 700,000 euros ($800,000),” it said.