Emergency state to confront terrorism - Tunisian Pres.

TUNIS, July 4 (KUNA) -- Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi said a one-month state of emergency, which began Saturday, aimed at confronting terrorism which has become a threat against the entire country, thus requiring collective capabilities to eliminate it.
Tunisia is experiencing exceptional circumstances following the terrorist attack against a hotel in Sousse, which killed 38 people, including 30 British tourists, and wounded 39 others, Essebsi said in a speech to the nation.
Terrorism, he added, aimed at undermining the state and its institutions, freedom and values of co-existence. This, he went on to say, required the launch of a fierce battle against terrorism in order to preserve security and stability of Tunisia.
Essebsi also said the Tunisia was facing economic, social and security challenges, specially with around 600,000 unemployed people and high poverty in certain areas.
Addressing these challenges, he said, required investments which would not materialize but in a safe and stable environment.
The president said the security situation in neighboring Libya was posing a great risk on Tunisia.
Essebsi said the Islamic State (ISIL) was targetting Tunisia because the country "held democratic elections, has a constitution, is a civil state without religious reference and a republican regime which cannot be changed by the constitution." Tunisia is cooperating with the US, France, Italy, Germany, the European Union and Algeria in the fight against terrorism, he said.
If the terrorist attack in Sousse happens in another place, he said, the "country will collapse." The state of emergency allows the interior minister to impose curfews, inspection of shops, monitoring of all media means. (pickup previous) nm.bs