Interior Minister Taoufik Charfeddine stressed that “these operations have inflicted heavy losses on the country’s economy”
Tunisian Interior Minister Taoufik Charfeddine revealed on Saturday that “investigations into dangerous customs operations, which have inflicted heavy losses on the country’s economy, are underway”.
This is what emerges from a speech delivered by the Minister of the Interior during the Periodic Meeting of Heads of Districts and Regional Directors of Security and the National Guard, held in the capital Tunis.
He indicated in this speech, relayed by local media, that “investigations relating to dangerous customs operations and violations (without specifying the content) are in progress”, adding that these operations have “inflicted on the Tunisian economy losses estimated at trillions” (in local currency).
He added that “investigations will soon be launched against anyone proven to be involved in illicit enrichment operations”.
The Minister underlined the “concern to apply the law to all, even to businessmen, some of whom believe themselves above the law…The law applies to all and in relation to the public property also “.
He made a point of adding that “nothing will undermine our will to continue our march, and the day when I will see that the law is no longer applied to all without exception, I will immediately give up my role at the Ministry of the Interior”.
He noted that “decisions to recover land (illegally exploited) have been executed against individuals, businessmen and lobbies, whom some consider being hyper-influenced”.
Charfeddine also highlighted that “security protection and support, including 24 personalities, among businessmen, frozen deputies and media men, have been lifted”. He did not disclose the identity of the individuals affected by these measures.
He added that “some personalities benefited from unfounded personal support, only to satisfy their egos, while the national community badly needs to focus its efforts in the field of security”.
Tunisia has been evolving, since July 25, at the rate of a political crisis, against the background of the “exceptional measures” proclaimed by the President of the Republic Kaïs Saïed, particularly with regard to the freezing of the activities of Parliament, the lifting of the immunity of deputies, and the abolition of the Authority for the Control of the Constitutionality of Laws and the dismissal of the former Head of Government.
