Tunisia- Opposition Rejects Agreements with Turkey and Qatar

Tunisia’s parliament has suspended a two-day plenary session that was programmed to be held on Wednesday to examine draft agreements, due to profound disagreements among parliamentary blocs over two deals with Turkey and Qatar. Free Destourian Party Abir Moussi and Tahya Tounes have rejected these agreements.

The parliament declared the suspension of the session was prompted by urgent responsibilities by the ministers implicated in striking both agreements, which it said will be addressed in subsequent sessions.

The first agreement with Qatar enables opening a Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) office in Tunis, while the deal with Turkey asks for preserving and encouraging bilateral investment.

“Parliament Speaker Rachid Ghannouchi is abusing the coronavirus crisis to pass these draft agreements with Qatar and Turkey and impose the hegemony of the Turkish-Qatari alliance on Tunisia,” Moussi said.

Moussi stated she resorted to the administrative court, which considers cases of law breaching and abuse of power.

“I filed a case against this abuse of power and requested the suspension of the decision to refer these draft agreements to the parliament’s plenary session,” she told reporters.

She sent a letter to the Prime Minister in which she recorded that these agreements touch Tunisia’s sovereignty, independence and its national economic system.