Paris refused to offer a draft law allowing the return of the skulls of Algerian resistance fighters to Algeria, although it was approved by 80 members of parliament, according to statements by Representative Carlos Martinez Bilongo, who proposed the bill.
On Tuesday, Martinez Bilongo said in statements to an Algerian newspaper that his country's authorities refused to present the project to Parliament, although it has been approved by nearly eighty of its members so far, due to the sensitivity of the file and to avoid re-tension in its relations with Algeria.
In recent years, the issue of skulls has turned into the focus of the "war of memory" between the two countries, at a time when Algeria insists on returning the skulls as a symbolic step that may be the beginning of France's official recognition of "colonial crimes."
Memory issues remain at the heart of relations between Algeria and France, given the perception in Algeria that France is not doing enough to apologize for its colonial past.
The National Museum of Natural History in Paris houses more than 18,000 skulls, of which only 500 have been identified. Some of them are of Algerian resistance fighters who resisted French colonialism and were beheaded and sent to France for various reasons, and some of them are of revolutionaries who fought alongside the Algerian resistance fighter Abd al-Qadir al-Jazairi.
And last year, French deputies in the National Assembly (Parliament) proposed enacting a new law that would allow, upon its entry into force, the final waiver of all the skulls of Algerian resistance fighters in French museums, within a maximum period of one month at most, but the session to discuss the project was postponed due to racist actions against the author of the proposal, who is the deputy The left-wing African-American Carlos Martinez, in a plenary session of Parliament, was confronted by one of the representatives of the far-right, as he directed racist phrases at him that led to her suspension and the punishment of the right-wing representative by depriving him of entering Parliament for a period of 15 days.
sensitive issue
Political analysts believe that the issue of the skulls is so sensitive that it may wreck relations between Algeria and France.
French MP Martinez Bilongo said that his country's Minister of Culture confirmed that she would await the results of the work of the French-Algerian Joint Historians' Committee, for the final decision on the file, which is considered one of the sensitive issues that depend on the fate of Algerian-French relations.
Last year, France returned some skulls to Algeria, but the New York Times revealed that not all of the skulls that Algeria recovered from France in 2020 belonged to resistance fighters.
Documents from the Museum of Humanity and the French government, obtained by the American newspaper, revealed that 18 skulls were of uncertain origin, among the 24 skulls recovered by Algeria.
The skulls were returned under an agreement signed by the two governments on June 26, 2020, which included a 4-page appendix detailing the identities of the remains.
Newspaper: France supports the project to build the "Bach 2" atomic plant in Hungary, in which Russia participates
The French newspaper "Le Monde" reported, quoting a government source, that France supports the project to build the second block of the "Baksh" atomic plant in Hungary, in which the Russian state corporation, "Rosatom", participates.
A source in the French Energy Transition Ministry said, "Representatives of the French nuclear energy sector support our European partners, especially Hungary, in all projects, as long as they comply with European sanctions."
He added, "If French institutions want to establish partnerships with other European bodies, we will not prevent them from doing so."
The source pointed out that the beneficiary of the project is Hungary, although the financing of the project comes through Russia providing a loan to Budapest.
The newspaper pointed out that France and Hungary adhere to nuclear energy, despite differences on other items of the European agenda.
The Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Siarto had said earlier that the French company "Framatom" would expand its participation in the "Bach 2" project if necessary in order to avoid frustrating the project in the event of the withdrawal of the German company "Siemens Energy" from it, which the Minister of Economy insists on. German Robert Habeck and Foreign Minister Analina Baerbock.
In turn, the French government allowed Framatom to provide technologies and equipment for the project.
This comes against the background of the European Union's discussion of tightening sanctions against Russia because of its military operation in Ukraine. Some countries insist on imposing sanctions on the Russian atomic energy sector and the "Rosatom Corporation", which could endanger the project to build the "Bach 2" plant.
Disagreements still exist between members of the European Union in this regard, as sources indicate that Hungary and France oppose imposing sanctions on "Ross Atom".
Spain bans bullfighting for pygmies
Spain's parliament on Thursday banned "comedy" bullfighting events involving dwarfs in funny costumes, a decision lauded by disability rights groups but condemned by some remaining supporters.
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It was common for dwarves in Spain to wear the costumes of firefighters or clowns to chase bulls without killing them, in public events attended by the public and considered funny.
Although the tradition dates back decades, its popularity has waned, and the law passed on Thursday brings Spain closer to European Union guidelines on discrimination against people with disabilities.
"Spain has outgrown the past," said Jesus Martín, director general of Spain's Royal Commission for Disabled People, which advises the Ministry of Social Rights that lobbied for the ban in parliament.
He continued, "Those who suffer from dwarfism were the subject of ridicule in the public squares in our country, and the idea that it was acceptable to laugh at difference in such shameful displays was widespread."
While a group of remaining supporters of these shows protested in front of parliament, denouncing the ban.
"They take it for granted that people are insulted or ridiculed, but on the contrary...the respect they have for us is admirable," Daniel Calderon, a dwarf bullfighter, told the Spanish news agency.
Newspaper: Sunak refrains from meeting the governor of Florida to avoid accusations of interference in the US elections
The Times reported that British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will not meet with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, to avoid talks about London's support for him in the US presidential elections.
A government source told the newspaper that, for the sake of "balance", DeSantis' visit program includes meetings with Secretary of State James Cleverly and Minister of Business and Trade Affairs Kimmy Bednock.
The source added that British diplomats do not want to spoil relations with the other potential candidate for the Republican Party, Donald Trump, who is due to visit Britain next week, stopping by his golf club in Scotland, and is not planning to meet British politicians.
In turn, Sunak's office said that the British Prime Minister will not meet DeSantis due to the failure of the two sides to coordinate their work schedules.
Sunak is due to visit Scotland on Friday.
DeSantis visited South Korea and Japan this week, and met with the prime ministers of the two countries. On Wednesday, he met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, and is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
It should be noted that DeSantis has not yet officially announced his candidacy for the presidential elections, but it is expected that he will announce this in May.
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