Morocco Passes Law Shielding State Assets from Seizure, Extends Payment Deadline

The concern of the executive in voting for this article is to preserve the state’s patrimony. This improved version of Article 9, adopted in parliament, requires the state and local authorities, as soon as they are the subject of a judgment "liable to be executed", to order the sum judged within 90 days instead of 60. This is from the date of notification of the execution.

The article stipulates that in the event of insufficient funds, the authorizing officer takes steps to include them in the budget for the following year. This operation can be repeated for five years, during which the property of the state and local authorities cannot be seized. Moreover, the public accountant is now a new player in the transaction and can proceed with the spontaneous payment of the debt after the 90 days have elapsed, if the authorizing officer refuses to execute the judgment.

Given the dissensions observed among the deputies, no one expected the ban on the seizure of state property to be adopted. Indeed, the deputies of the PAM and Istiqlal argued that the measure was against the constitutional principle, adding that any judgment must be executed. The PAM deputy, Abdellatif Ouahbi, would be the one who encouraged the change of position of his party and Istiqlal.