Tunis, Feb. 11, 2021 – Tunisian Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi said his country “is going through one of the most difficult periods in its history” amid “the serious political crisis that affected the country’s economic, social, constitutional, and institutional levels.”
A government statement said Mechichi made the remarks during his meeting with a number of experts and specialists in constitutional law on the planned cabinet reshuffle, which won parliamentary approval but is still pending as the ministers-designate have not been summoned by President Kais Saied to take the oath of office.
“The democratic way which has been built over the past 10 years obliges everyone to preserve their achievements and consolidate them,” the statement quoted Mechichi as saying.
The Tunisian parliament granted its confidence to 11 new ministers proposed by Prime Minister Mechichi on Jan. 27.
This happened two days after President Saied declared during the meeting of the National Security Council that one of the proposed ministers was implicated in a corruption case and three others were suspected of conflict of interest.
Citing the reasons, Saied said he “will not allow some of the new ministers to take their oath of office.” (Xinhua/NAN)
