| The government has taken a series of exceptional measures costing 2.5 billion dinars to protect Tunisians and preserve the country’s economy, Prime Minister Elyes Fakhfakh announced in an address to the Nation on Saturday night.
Fakhfakh said the point is not to leave any Tunisian in need or without support in this situation, to preserve businesses and protect employees. These measures aim to alleviate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the general lockdown and the curfew. Measures to preserve jobs, guarantee incomes for workers, employees and civil servants and reduce financial pressure: 1- Opening a 300-MD funding line to support lay-off workers. 2- Allocating 150 MD in the form of subsidies for the benefit of vulnerable and low-income groups and persons with disabilities. 3- Postponing the repayment of bank loans for a period of 6 months for people whose monthly income does not exceed 1000 dinars. Measures for businesses, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs), economic operators acting on their own account and liberal professions affected by the stagnation or cessation of their activities: 1- Deferral of tax payments for 3 months starting in April. 2- Deferral of the payment of social security contributions for the second quarter for a period of 3 months. 3- Deferral of the payment of bank and financial institution debts for a period of 6 months. 4- Rescheduling of tax and customs debts for a period of 7 years. 5- Setting up a 500-MD guarantee line to enable companies to obtain new operating and works loans. 6- Allowing the recovery of the VAT credit, within a maximum period of one month. Other measures to preserve companies and ensure their recovery: 1- Creation of investment funds for a total amount of 700 MD for the restructuring and capitalisation of the companies concerned. 2- Allowing totally exporting companies to sell 50% of their total production on the local market instead of 30%. 3- Allowing companies to revalue the built and non-built assets included in their budget according to their real value. 4- Adopting a tax and customs amnesty for those who have taxes due. 5- Exempting companies that have concluded public contracts and whose execution has been blocked from late penalties for a maximum period of 6 months. Measures to consolidate strategic stocks: Provide an additional budget of 500 MD to support strategic medicines, food products and fuel stocks. Considering legal amendments needed to provisionally suspend legal proceedings in financial crime and seeking to halt decisions to cut off water, electricity and telephone services for a period of two months |
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