Algeria’s central bank is demanding US$193 million in compensation from Orascom Telecom’s local unit Djezzy because it violated foreign exchange rules, according to sources at Reuters. The fate of Djezzy is seen as a potential hurdle to Orascom owner Naguib Sawiris closing a US$6.6 billion deal announced this week to sell his telecoms assets to Russia’s VimpelCom. The demand, which should be notified to Djezzy “in the coming days”, comes after Russian President Dmitry Medvedev failed during a visit to Algiers this week to persuade Algeria to allow a sale of Djezzy by Orascom.