The agency organizes Miss Morocco Contest, announced the postponement of the contest beyond the date set for the forthcoming legislative elections next September.
“It was impossible to hold the festival as scheduled because the local authorities in Casablanca did not give us the green light as a result of the pressure put on them by radical factions,” the Carfor 9 Agency manager Anas al Jazooli told the London-based Arabic daily al Sharq al Awsat.
He added, “the Moroccan TV channel 2 announced that it had withdrawn from the project for technical reasons. Also a number of companies and agencies sponsoring the festival withdrew after the campaign which the radical Justice and Development Party launched against the festival in an attempt to publicize for their electoral campaign.”
“With the exception of the Franciphonic papers, not a single side supported us. We hope conditions will be better after the elections are finished and calm is restored at the political arena,” said al Jazooli.
About parading the candidates in their swimming suits during the festival which constituted the most prominent point which the radicals criticize, Jazooli said, “we decided that the show in swimming suits wouldn’t be open for public but to be restricted to the jury only. But this compromise was not convincing for the contest opponents who see that even if the parade in swimming suits is cancelled, the winners will have to participate in such shows within the framework of the international contests which they qualify for abroad.” -- Albawaba.com
