Tunisia

23 April 2022; MEMO: Eri Kaneko, associate spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, announced on Friday that the international organisation hopes that Tunisia does not stray too far from democracy.

TUNIS, April 22 (Reuters) - Tunisia's president seized control of the country's election commission on Friday, saying he would replace most of its members in a move that will entrench his one-man rule and cast doubt on electoral integrity.

The commission head Nabil Baffoun told Reuters that President Kais Saied's decree was a blow to the democratic gains of the country's 2011 revolution and meant the body was no longer independent.

"It has become the president's commission," he said.

20 April 2022; MEMO: Tunisia is taking "resolute steps" towards dictatorship amid a deep political crisis in the North African nation, three political parties warned on Wednesday, and Anadolu News Agency reports.

TUNIS, April 17 (Reuters) - Tunisia will work with other countries that have offered to help it to prevent environmental damage after a merchant ship carrying up to one thousand tonnes of oil sank in Tunisian waters, the defence ministry said on Sunday.

The ship was heading from Equatorial Guinea to Malta when it sank seven miles off the coast of the southern city of Gabes on Friday. The Tunisian navy rescued all seven crew members following a distress call.

It was carrying between 750 tonnes and one thousand tonnes of fuel, officials said.

15 April 2022; MEMO: Tunisia will raise local fuel prices every month this year by no less than 3 per cent, an official in the energy ministry said on Thursday, which may mean an increase of at least 30 per cent by the end of 2022, Reuters reported.

Tunisia raised fuel prices by 5 per cent on Wednesday, its third hike this year, following a sharp rise in oil prices in an effort to rein in its budget deficit, according to the Reuters report.

13 April 2022; MEMO: Official data showed that Tunisia's trade deficit has ballooned, reaching 4.3 billion dinars ($1.42 billion) during the first quarter of 2022, an increase of 40.2 per cent on an annual basis.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Tunisian Institute of Statistics said that the trade deficit was in the range of 3.06 billion dinars ($1.01 billion) in the first quarter of 2021.

14 April 2022; MEMO: Noureddine Taboubi, secretary-general of the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT), yesterday warned against "tampering" with the country's affairs, explaining that the union rejects a national dialogue that lacks broad participation by parties and organisations.

Taboubi made the remarks on state television after a meeting with the European Parliament delegation which has been holding consultations since Monday on the political crisis in Tunisia.

TUNIS, April 10 (Reuters) - Tunisians on Sunday protested against President Kais Saied, accusing him of imposing one-man rule in the North African country after he dissolved parliament last month.

A political crisis in the country intensified last month when more than half of the members of parliament held an online session to revoke Saied's decrees.

"We are facing a failed dictatorship that is leading the country to an economic disaster.. We will continue to protest in the streets until a coup is forced to reverse its decisions," Chaima Issa, an activist, said.

06 April 2022; MEMO: The World Bank, on Wednesday, signed a $400 million loan agreement with Tunisia to help the country mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Anadolu News Agency reports.

The agreement was signed by Tunisian Minister of Economy and Planning, Samir Saied, and the World Bank Country Manager for Tunisia, Alexandre Arrobbio.

06 April 2022; MEMO: Tunisia's Parliament Speaker, Rached Ghannouchi, said yesterday that parliament will continue to convene virtually, Al-Quds Al-Araby reported.

Speaking to the German News Agency, Ghannouchi's remarks came days after the Tunisian president's dissolution of parliament after a virtual meeting was held.