Image: U.S. Embassy in Tunisia
Tunis (UNA-OIC) – Preparations are being made for the next steps, in order to move from the exceptional situation in Tunisia into a normal situation, Tunisian President Kais Saied told US Secretary of State Antony Blinken over the phone on Saturday evening.
During the phone call he received from Secretary Blinken, President Saied explained the reasons that led him to implement Article 80 of the Constitution. He said this decision was necessitated by the responsibility he bears after Parliament had turned into an arena of conflict and bloodshed and its work was disrupted on many occasions due to physical and verbal violence.
Many inaccuracies that are baseless and have nothing to do with reality are being spread abroad, President Saied said, adding that, indeed, a number of companies with suspicious source funds are used to offend Tunisia.
He also indicated that the Constitution has not been suspended, it is rather the membership of Parliament members that has been suspended until the danger which is still prevailing in the country is over.
The President stressed the need for Tunisia’s partners to understand that the economic and social conditions are the primary problem, pointing out that these are compounded by the fabrication of crises and the dissemination of lies and slander.
The phone call also dealt with the “age-long” Tunisia-US relations and ways to further expand them in light of the situation in the world and Tunisia, according to a statement of the Tunisian Presidency.
For his part, US Secretary of State Blinken expressed his country’s desire to see these reforms find their way to materialization as soon as possible. He highlighted the US continued support for Tunisia and its backing to the support it can receive from a number of countries and international organizations when the reform deadlines are set.
