Former prime minister Hichem Mechichi issued a press release to declare his stance in relation to the events that happened since last night, following the decisions of the president of the Republic. Mechichi confirmed that he took office in one of the most challenging times in the country, in a situation of economic and social crisis, complicated by the covid crisis.
To preserve the nation from further tension, at a time when it requires all strength to unite and emerge from this tense situation – I cannot stand to be a disruptor or complicate the situation further. For the safety of all Tunisians, I side with the people and their rights, as I have forever done, and declare that I will not adhere to any position and will not shoulder any responsibility within the State. . I will transfer the responsibility to the person appointed by the President of the Republic to lead the government in accordance with the laws. My congratulations to the new government team. I will proceed to serve my homeland regardless of my position ”, he said in a Facebook post.
“I have had the honour of serving Tunisia from various positions and I will stay true to my engagements regardless of the position. I assumed my responsibilities as prime minister as the country was going through one of the most challenging periods in its history: an economic and social crisis due to the failure of the political elites who have succeeded in recent years to build a system that meets the aspirations of citizens”This crisis – which has decayed with the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic has placed us – me and my team with difficult choices involving, on one hand, the preservation of the health of citizens and on the other protection of their livelihood”, he said.
‘This has prompted us to make decisions that are unpopular – in the eyes of some – but essential given the restricted means of the state. I did not delay to respond to the call of the President of the Republic to form a government despite my awareness of the size of the difficulties on the economic, social and health levels. I accepted this mission because of my sense of responsibility towards a country to which I owe a lot”, he added.
“This last period has been characterised by a rise in political tensions and the failure of the system – arising from the 2019 elections – to put in place a government because of the discrepancies between the needs of the street and the priorities of the political parties that have proceeded to flout the parliamentary scene to the point of causing the break between citizens and politicians, pushing me to compose a government of independent competences and to stick to this choice until today by the conviction that the current political landscape could not lead this period and that all components should concentrate on reforms to be capable to present a policy worthy of Tunisia and its achievements and up to the ambitions of Tunisians in general ”, Mechichi affirmed.
“The greatest challenge has been to reconcile on one hand independence and on the other the constraints of government work which entails the maintenance of a majority in Parliament so that the government can develop its vision and convert it into practical legislative texts. “. “I understand the despair of many of our daughters and sons over the delay in getting the long-awaited achievements. This caused a lack of confidence in the political class and the various governments which succeeded one another ”, he concluded.
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