PJD slams sports decline, spending decisions in Sale council meeting

The Justice and Development Party (PJD) has voiced strong criticism over the deteriorating state of sports in the city of Salé, particularly football, accusing authorities of political interference and negligence in infrastructure development.

In a statement issued following an extraordinary session of the Salé City Council last week, the PJD council group said the city’s sports scene, especially football, is in decline, pointing to the current state of the historic Association Sportive de Salé (ASS) football club.

The group blamed the decline on “persistent political interference in sports” and “the severe weakness of the city’s sports infrastructure.”

It criticized local authorities for failing to allocate proper land for the long-promised Salé sports complex, despite granting over eight hectares in the Al Maâmoura forest area to establish a football academy linked to a favored club from outside the city, a move the PJD says reflects misuse of influence and power.

The group urged authorities to take advantage of upcoming continental and global sports events hosted by Morocco, calling for greater investment in Salé as part of a complementary dynamic with neighboring Rabat.

It also demanded urgent action on the long-delayed sports complex project, pending since the demolition of the Al-Massira Al-Khadra stadium more than two decades ago as part of the Bouregreg riverbank redevelopment.

The PJD also rejected a recent proposal to grant the governor of Salé, or their representative, the presidency of the monitoring committee for the football partnership agreement.

The party argued this contradicts the agreement’s legal framework, which only names the city council and the Association Sportive de Salé as signatories. The group voted against the proposed change, citing concerns over council autonomy.

Regarding other matters, the PJD agreed to a temporary expropriation of parcel P1 (registry number 55097/20) to expand the Sidi Bel Abbas cemetery. However, it called the land’s limited size a short-term solution and urged the Bouregreg Development Agency to initiate formal expropriation procedures.

The party criticized the council’s approval of the 2026 budget allocation to boroughs, particularly the 17% increase in funding for local event activities. The PJD claimed the vote violated council rules by preventing discussion, warning the rise could lead to misuse of public funds, especially in the absence of a decree regulating district-level spending categories.

The group also opposed amendments to rental contracts between the city and the Al-Wifaq Cooperative for Education and Training Professionals, which operates four private schools in municipal buildings.

The PJD objected to the nine-year renewable contracts, arguing they effectively transfer public assets to private entities, deviating from the original partnership’s objectives.

The party further denounced a decision by the monitoring committee, made eight years after a 2017 council ruling, that allowed the cooperative to continue operating three schools, and even open a fourth, in exchange for a rent increase to 70,000 dirhams annually.

It said the move transforms a social employment initiative into a rent-seeking investment project benefiting a select few, including external parties unrelated to the original agreement.

The PJD also criticized the inclusion of a regulatory update permitting temporary occupation of public space with aluminum and glass structures. It called the move discriminatory against Salé residents, claiming similar practices are already permitted in cities like Rabat. The proposal was unanimously rejected by council members.

Finally, the party condemned the exclusion of media from council sessions and the ban on coverage, arguing it restricts transparency and public communication. It called for changes to internal rules to guarantee press access and denounced restrictions placed on opposition members’ ability to speak or ask questions during sessions, saying it fostered a tense atmosphere and stifled debate.