HIBAPRESS
Corruption in Algeria has turned into a ruling doctrine, with the corrupt striving to invent recreational measures to combat this scourge that they feed on.
The organized looting of public money in Algeria
Despite the scandals revealed by previous trials and showing the extent of organized looting among senior officials, the Algerian regime continues its policy of "financial beautification" through huge numbers listed under the banner of fighting corruption.
The Algerian government has allocated a huge budget to the justice sector within the 2026 finance bill, under the pretext of "enhancing its capabilities in combating corruption and controlling public funds," while the reality confirms that these same funds will be fuel for new corruption.
According to official data, the budget of this sector exceeds 179 billion Algerian dinars, with additional appropriations exceeding 182 billion dinars to cover what the government calls "judicial activity expenses, prison administration and the suppression of corruption."
As for the distribution of amounts, it was ridiculous: 89.6 billion dinars for judicial activity, 81.6 billion dinars for prison administration, 2.1 billion dinars for "suppressing corruption," and 7.08 billion dinars for what is called the general administration of the judiciary, while 3 billion dinars were allocated for the prevention of corruption and the same for the management of the "High Authority for Transparency".
Chronic structural corruption in Algeria
The regime also allocated 1.2 billion dinars to the Audit Council and an additional 332 million dinars to cover the expenses of the "High Authority for Transparency, Prevention and Combating of Corruption," while 3.8 billion dinars were allocated to the Supreme Court, 1.6 billion dinars to the Council of State, and 520 million dinars each to the Supreme Judicial Council and ensuring the "independence of the judiciary," which does not exist in reality.
What makes the scene more absurd is the government's announcement of the establishment of a "mechanism to manage seizures resulting from corruption cases," i.e., the funds and properties confiscated from businessmen and convicted officials, which is a hidden formula for legalizing new looting that takes place far from any oversight or transparency. In other words, the regime that stole the country is now managing what it stole, so that "fighting corruption" becomes just a cover for recycling the spoils.
International figures confirm the same bleak picture, as Algeria did not exceed 34 points out of 100 in the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index issued by Transparency International.
Its average since 2003 does not exceed 32.3 points, while the highest level it reached did not exceed 36 points in 2013, and the country remains mired in chronic structural corruption that is entrenched by a military regime that knows nothing but the logic of looting and impunity.
