Agence Tunis Afrique Presse correspondent in Jendouba, Mouldi Zouabi, indicated that individuals accessing Tunisian territory from Algeria at the border posts Jlaiel de Ghardimaou, Babouche d’Ain Drahem, and Melloula de Tabarka have been banned from bring back with them Algerian goods. This decision was applied from February 9, 2023.
Speaking on February 10, 2023 during Borhen Bssais ‘ “Emission impossible” program on IFM radio, Mouldi Zouabi explained that the Algerian authorities had demanded the unloading of all the products and had decided to ban their shipment to Tunisia. This decision applies to all goods and products, compensated or not.
“Those who are not carrying goods can pass… Due to traffic jams, the road has become almost blocked. In two or three days, a group of Tunisian citizens will be judged following the case of the bus loaded with compensated products. This is, according to the Algerian authorities, a violation of the decree against speculation… The ban on transporting goods is surprising,” he added.
As a reminder, seven Tunisians were arrested in the city of Tébessa in Algeria at the end of January after the search of a tourist bus containing subsidized food products. They are accused of having smuggled them.
Mouldi Zouabi mentioned a possible diplomatic crisis between Tunisia and Algeria due to the Amira Bouraoui affair. This is a Franco-Algerian activist who was arrested in Tunis on February 3, 2023. She was subsequently released, then detained at the General Directorate of Borders and Foreigners at the risk of being deported to Tunisia. ‘Algeria. Amira Bouraoui was finally released and was able to fly to France on February 6, 2023. The newspaper “Le Monde” affirmed, in its electronic version, that Ms. Bouraoui had been placed in a safe place under the protection of the French authorities after diplomatic intervention.
