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Archived Articles
Simeon Mitropolitski is a Canadian analyst, of Bulgarian origin, and a former syndicated columnist with the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA). He is the author of several hundred articles dealing with hot political and economic topics, both national and international.
He was part of the first group of Bulgarian intellectuals and students that began the opposition movement that finally put an end to the communist regime in this country in 1989, and in 1996-1997 participated in international observation teams during the elections in several Balkan countries - Romania, Albania and Bulgaria.
In 2002 Simeon and his family moved from Bulgaria to Canada where they live now in Montreal, province of Quebec. Simeon is a Master of Political Science from McGill University and a B.A. of Political Science and History.
Global Real Estate Project
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Morocco: A Promising Liberalization, So FarAmong the Arab countries Morocco occupies a special place leaning toward liberal reforms. Situated at the European gates, this country of almost 32 million has conducted more or less free and fair national and local elections since 2002. Even if the state has increasingly become a target of violent activities for militant Islamic groups, its liberalization course seems so far stable. Based on the king's undisputable moral authority, the nation is undertaking serious social changes not without signs of traditionalists' backlashes. What has been perceived as a normal way of life in many parts of the world, in Morocco may still be viewed as an artificial "Americanization". As many other Arab countries, Morocco has to deal with sensitive external issues that poison the relations with some of the neighboring states and absorb greater portion of the public energy much needed for civic mobilization and democratic reforms. There is an unresolved dispute with Algeria over Morocco-controlled Western Sahara, claimed by Algerian-backed Polisario National Independence Front. This dispute has shut the land border between Algeria and Morocco since 1994 even if these countries have reestablished diplomatic relations over the past year. On the domestic political front King Mohammed VI since his coronation in 1999 has embarked on bold new course, giving more power to elected bodies on all levels. The government, although nominally appointed by the monarch, has to enjoy the support of the parliament in order to rule. In theory this government should be as responsible to the elected legislatures as that in any European country with responsible government, but the doubts remain as to whether in case of major political upheaval the monarch won't use its discretionary power to return to more traditional and absolutist form of government. The challenges ahead are enormous. An overhaul of the country's Family Law is underway, putting the women on equal footing with the men, to mention just one. To understand what the problem of gender inequality is all about, we have to consider the fact that today in Morocco women have to obtain permission to move their children more than 60 miles from their last residence before receiving a divorce. Children born to a Moroccan father may experience difficulty leaving the country without father's permission. Moroccan women have no similar rights over their children. For the foreigners Morocco remains a place for pleasant vacations and a possible option for second residence, especially for those who don't mind living in different cultural environment. The most interesting places for foreign small investors are the cities of Marrakech, Fes and Essaouira, where the prices are constantly jumping by 10-15% every year. The local real estate companies swear that the prices are still a fraction of those in Western Europe, but we have to bear in mind that the final prices depend very much on the personal bargain skills of the buyers. The prices on the Net seem exaggerated with some mansions easily surpassing $500,000 or even $1,000,000. I suspect this is made in order to give the sellers some initial advantage points ("negotiating room") and for looking generous at the end of the deal. The need of local broker is obvious because the buying process in Morocco is rather complex and because many properties have no official title. An additional advice for any buyer will be to look not only to the actual price but also to the price for bringing the house in line with his living expectations. Another particular problem foreign tourists are facing comes from the specific Moroccan custom procedures. Some travelers fail to properly register the imported foreign currency while entering the country and encounter difficulties when attempting to take their money out. An additional problem is that although declared to be fully convertible, the local currency cannot be converted back into U.S. dollars prior to departure. In terms of criminality Morocco is considered to represent only a moderate danger for travelers and foreigners, wishing to stay longer. The urban areas have higher criminal rates. Foreigners become targets usually in market areas, parks and beaches. The possibility of terrorist activity shouldn't be underestimated. A series of bombings took place in Casablanca some months ago. This fact shouldn't be considered as travel warning not to visit the country but everyone planning to go to Morocco should be aware of the dangers he may face on the ground.
Morocco profile: --------------------
See also the directory of companies providing real estate services in, and general real estate information of Morocco.
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