Tunisia-President Speaks with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs

President of the Republic Kaïs Saïed had a phone call with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell.

The Head of State evoked on this occasion the reasons that prompted the exceptional measures adopted last July and September, in accordance with the Constitution and the procedures it sets out.

He addressed the “misinformation spread by some Tunisians about the situation of rights and freedoms, while the chapter on freedoms in the Constitution has not been touched.

He added “the activities of the Parliament were frozen because it became a battleground, where blood was shed regularly. The bills became a commodity that was traded and bought.

President Saïed further emphasised that “the functioning of the state was compromised in Parliament and other institutions, corruption spread and popular demonstrations were increasing, particularly demanding the dissolution of Parliament.

He further noted that opponents who “paid to organise false demonstrations” have been treated with “great flexibility”, indicating that the decisions of house arrest have been lifted.

Kaïs Saïed repeated that “the State was on the verge of collapse”, recalling the number of losses due to the coronavirus pandemic and the state of hospitals that lacked the most basic equipment and sometimes even drinking water and electricity.

Josep Borrell said he will communicate this information to the next meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the EU member countries and to the members of the European Parliament.