The President of the Republic, Kaïs Saïed, received Wednesday, October 11, 2023, the head of government, Ahmed Hachani and the Minister of Finance, Sihem Nemsia, at the Carthage palace.
During the meeting, discussions focused on the finance bill for the year 2024 and the amending finance bill for the year 2023. In this context, emphasis was placed on ” the importance of social justice and real growth based on our resources and our national choices.
The President of the Republic insisted on the fact that “these two projects are part of a legal framework which must be re-examined in many sectors, in particular, transport, health, education and social security, so that the “State can fully regain its social role”. He considered that “this cannot be achieved only through finance laws, but also by the promulgation of new laws to replace those put in place to serve particular interests to the detriment of the vast majority of the Tunisian people.”
The meeting also made it possible to address “the need for the commitment of banks and financial institutions in this national effort, whether in their relations with the State and its institutions or with citizens and young entrepreneurs in particular” .
On this occasion, the President of the Republic stressed that “Tunisia, with its own resources, is capable of overcoming all difficulties thanks to the determination of its people to preserve their national independence and the participation of all in the fight for the Liberation”.
“We will accept nothing less than victory while preserving our sovereignty and national dignity,” reads the text of the statement.
In this sense, the President of the Republic specified that the amount offered by the European Union in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic has been returned. He added that “this approach undermines our dignity and presents us with a fait accompli. Our people refuse any form of charity under any pretext, and only agree to work within the framework of a strategic partnership based on respect.
While the European Commission maintains that Tunisia has not yet returned the rejected sixty million euros, Foreign Minister Nabil Ammar affirmed that the money was returned on October 9.
During a press conference held on Wednesday October 4, 2023, European Commission spokesperson Ana Pisonero said that Europe has “paid the sixty million euros requested by Tunisia and remains a reliable partner who respects its commitments”.
Ana Pisonero clarified that the sixty million euros granted to Tunisia by the EU are part of the budget support program already decided in the past, which aims in particular to support post-Covid economic recovery.
The same day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed that Tunisia had not given its agreement to the disbursement of sixty million euros from the European Union.
The President of the Republic, Kaïs Saïed, had previously affirmed that Tunisia refuses European aid and that the country does not ask for alms.
