EP Committee expresses worries over situation in Tunisian

BRUSSELS, March 22 (KUNA) -- The European Parliament (EP) expressed, on Wednesday, its worries over the recent development in Tunisia following the EP's recent adoption of a resolution on the attacks against freedom of expression and association and trade unions in the country.
In a press release, the EP said that this came during a discussed of the Subcommittee on Human Rights, in which participants described in detail the dire situation in Tunisia, where "civil society is under massive threat and fundamental freedoms are severely restricted." "After 18 months of increasingly authoritarian rule by President Kais Saied, MEPs expressed strong doubts about the EU's strategy towards the country and stressed that it is time for the EU to react properly to the collapse of Tunisian democracy," said the EP press release.
In the context of the partnership between Tunisia and the EU rooted in the principles of democracy, good governance and respect for human rights, MEPs called on the Council of the EU and the European Commission to make EU assistance conditional on the implementation of a series of measures and actions.
On his part, the Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights Udo Bullmann said "we expect the Tunisian authorities to immediate release all political detainees, civil society activists, journalists, magistrates and trade unionists, as well as to stop the harassment of opposition voices." He also called for the repeal without delay decree number 54 of 13 September 2022 that aims to "suppress freedom of expression and instill fear in the population." The German MEP called for the establishment of a serious and inclusive national dialogue with civil society and political stakeholders so as to agree on a way out of the current political, economic and social crisis.(end) nk.nhq