By Abdul Razak bin Abdullah</p> <p>ALGIERS (AA) – Algeria’s parliament on Thursday said it had begun measures to lift parliamentary immunity from two MPs, both of whom had served as government ministers under recently-resigned President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.</p> <p>In a statement, parliament identified the two MPs as Djamel Ould Abbes and Said Barakat — both leading members of the former president’s National Liberation Front.</p> <p>According to local media reports, both men have been charged with “squandering public funds” during their respective tenures as social insurance minister.</p> <p>During Bouteflika’s 20-year stint as president, Ould Abbes served as social insurance minister, health minister, family minister and minister for expatriate affairs.</p> <p>Barakat, for his part, served as health minister, agriculture minister, rural development minister and social insurance minister under Bouteflika.
Early this month, the 82-year-old Bouteflika announced his resignation following several weeks of popular protests against his rule.
Abdelkader Bensalah, a former speaker of parliament, is now serving as interim president for a 90-day transitional period during which presidential elections will be held.
