Tag: tunisia

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Tunisia’s Maritime Guard rescued 108 illegal migrants

Tunisia’s Maritime Guard rescued 108 illegal migrants and recovered five bodies off the country’s coast, Tunisia’s National Guard said….reports Asian Lite News

“The rescue operation took place late Tuesday off the country’s central-eastern coast,” National Guard spokesman Houcemeddine Jbabli said in a statement on Wednesday.

The rescued migrants, who were sailing to the Italian coasts, included 104 African migrants, the statement added.

ALSO READ:Sunken fuel ship off Tunisian coast was empty

More than 2,000 Tunisian illegal migrants have managed to reach the Italian coasts in the first five months of this year, according to the latest figures released by the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights.

Thousands of illegal migrants attempt to cross the Mediterranean annually as Tunisia is one of the main points of access to Europe through irregular channels, Xinhua news agency reported.

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Tunisia President receives draft of new constitution

Tunisia President receives draft of new constitution

Tunisian President Kais Saied has received the draft of a new constitution…reports Asian Lite News

The draft was submitted on Monday by Sadok Belaid, head and coordinator of the High National Advisory Committee for the New Republic, Xinhua news agency.

After validation by the President, it will be published in the Official Journal of the Tunisian Republic.

ALSO READ:Tunisian PM underlines importance of reforming public institutions

Saied declared in December last year that a constitutional referendum will be held in 2022 for a “new republic”, and later set the voting date for July 25, the country’s Republic Day.

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Tunisia arrests 72 Italy-bound illegal immigrants off coast

Tunisia arrests 72 Italy-bound illegal immigrants off coast

Tunisia arrested 72 migrants who attempted to cross the Mediterranean to enter Italy illegally, the Tunisian Ministry of Defence said…reports Asian Lite News

They were arrested in two operations and are of various African nationalities, the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday, adding 42 of them were rescued by a Tunisian coastguard unit off the coastal city of Zarzis in northeastern Tunisia, Xinhua news agency reported.

The arrested migrants admitted they had sailed from the Libyan city of Zuwara a night earlier, according to the statement.

In another operation, the National Guard of Kerkennah Island in Sfax Province arrested 30 illegal immigrants, said the ministry.

ALSO READ:Tunisian PM underlines importance of reforming public institutions

Thousands of illegal immigrants attempt to cross the Mediterranean every year as Tunisia is one of the main points of access to Europe through irregular channels.

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Tunisian PM underlines importance of reforming public institutions

Tunisian PM underlines importance of reforming public institutions

Tunisian Prime Minister Najla Bouden Romdhane said the government will not privatise strategic public institutions because they play a crucial role in the implementation of the country’s economic and social policies…reports Asian Lite News

In her speech, Romdhane stressed the importance of reforming these public institutions through implementing a restructuring program and putting in place a legal and regulatory framework to increase their competitiveness, reports Xinhua news agency.

Despite the country was facing a difficult situation when the current government took office, the government administration has so far made positive accomplishments, according to the Prime Minister.

ALSO READ: Tunisian President urges ISIE to conduct elections for December 17

She said her country has managed to pay back its international and domestic debts, pay the wages on time, and supply its citizens with basic food products while fighting against smuggling.

According to her, the civil service reform “will be based on the digitalisation and modernization of the administration, as well as good human resource management and the development of the payroll system”.

The Prime Minister also vowed to improve the country’s working environment by creating more opportunities and boosting creativity and innovation.

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Sunken fuel ship off Tunisian coast was empty

Sunken fuel ship off Tunisian coast was empty

Tunisian environmental authorities have said the Equatorial Guinea-flagged fuel ship sunk last week off the Tunisian coast was not carrying fuel…reports Asian Lite News

“The Ministry is now certain that this sunken ship does not present any environmental risk,” the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development said on Friday in a statement.

“Any risk of pollution, in the light of preliminary information indicating that the ship was carrying 750 tonnes of fuel, has now been ruled out,” it added.

ALSO READ:163 illegal immigrants rescued off Tunisian coast

According to the National Environmental Protection Agency of Tunisia, the only detected leaks were the ship’s engine oil and do not represent any threats to the environment and the maritime ecosystem of the region in question, Xinhua news agency reported.

The incident occurred a week ago when the vessel heading from Egypt to Malta requested entry to Tunisian waters over bad weather. Its crew sent a distress call 11 km away from the Gabes coast in southeastern Tunisia, saying the water seeped into the engine room to a depth of two metres.

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Fuel ship sinks off Gabes coast in Tunisia

Fuel ship sinks off Gabes coast in Tunisia

A merchant ship carrying about 750 tons of fuel sank off the Gabes coast in Tunisia, the Tunisian authorities have said…reports Asian Lite News

The Tunisian navy rescued all seven crew members of the Equatorial Guinea-flagged vessel, the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development said on Saturday in a statement.

The Ministry added that it is working on preventing an environmental disaster from the incident, Xinhua news agency reported.

ALSO READ: 163 illegal immigrants rescued off Tunisian coast

The ship sailing from the Egyptian port of Damietta failed to reach its final destination of Malta due to bad weather conditions and the agitation of the sea, said the Ministry.

The crew sent a distress call seven miles away from the Gabes coast, saying the water seeped into the engine room to a height of two metres.

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Tunisia FM summons Turkish Ambassador after Erdogan’s ‘regret’ comments

Tunisia FM summons Turkish Ambassador after Erdogan's 'regret' comments

Tunisian Foreign Minister Othman Jerandi summoned the Turkish Ambassador over the Turkish President’s comments on his Tunisian counterpart’s decision to dissolve parliament, Tunis Afrique Presse (TAP) reported…reports Asian Lite News

During a phone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, Jerandi on Wednesday denounced the statement from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as “unacceptable” interference in the internal affairs of his country, Xinhua news agency reported.

On late Monday, Erdogan expressed his “regret” that the Tunisian parliament was dissolved and an inquiry was launched against the deputies who attended an online session to revoke the decrees issued by Tunisian President Kais Saied.

ALSO READ:Tunisian President urges ISIE to conduct elections for December 17

On Monday, Saied decided to dissolve the parliament “to preserve the state and its institutions”.

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Tunisian President urges ISIE to conduct elections for December 17

Tunisian President

Tunisian President Kais Saied has urged the Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE) to be ready to organise the legislative elections slated for December 17, according to a statement released by the presidency…reports Asian Lite News

During his meeting with ISIE Vice-President Farouk Bouasker on Monday, Saied said, “It is imperative to preserve the independence and the neutrality of the body.”

For his part, Bouasker highlighted the elections’ importance for the country’s political future and its stability, in addition to the ISIE’s critical role to ensure the elections’ success, Xinhua news agency reported.

ALSO READ: Tunisian President dissolves Parliament

Last week, the Tunisian President announced the dissolution of the Assembly of People’s Representatives, or the parliament.

Tunisia’s Islamist party Ennahdha (Renaissance) on Monday voiced its opposition to the dissolution of the Tunisian parliament.

According to a statement on its Facebook page, Ennahdha said the President’s decisions “are in violation of the provisions of the constitution”.

In December 2021, Saied announced a constitutional referendum will be held in July this year, followed by parliamentary elections at the end of 2022.

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Tunisian President dissolves Parliament

Tunisian President

Tunisian President Kais Saied announced the dissolution of the Assembly of People’s Representatives or Parliament…reports Asian Lite News

The announcement was made by Saied in a speech broadcast on state television Wataniya 1 late Wednesday night, reports Xinhua news agency.

“The state is targeted by a desperate coup attempt… My responsibility is to protect the state, its institutions, and its people,” the President said.

Saied referred to Article 72 of the country’s Constitution, which states that “the President of the republic is the head of the State and the symbol of its unity, guarantees its independence and continuity and ensures respect for the Constitution”.

Describing an earlier meeting of Parliament as “illegal”, he said it “has already been suspended since last July” and its session has “no legitimacy”.

The Tunisian head of state warned against any attempt to sow chaos and internal division.

“Solid institutions and a conscious people will be there to counter any plot against national security, and all the authors of this plot will be prosecuted in justice according to the regulations in force,” said the President.

ALSO READ: Tunisia decides to send plane to withdraw Tunisians in Ukraine

“We will pursue the construction of a new Tunisia… The legitimacy will be that of the people,” he added.

On July 25, 2021, Saied sacked former Prime Minister Hichem Mechich and suspended all activities of Parliament.

More than half of the 217-seat Parliament voted on Wednesday in a symbolic online session to revoke presidential decrees halting the chamber’s functions.

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First cruise ship docks in Tunisia after 3 years

 First cruise ship docks in Tunisia after 3 years

A cruise ship has docked in a Tunisian port for the first time since 2019, signalling the recovery of the tourism recovery in the North African country…reports Asian Lite News

The cruise ship, Spirit of Discovery, docked on Wednesday at the port of La Goulette with 724 tourists on board, most of whom are British, Xinhua news agency quoted Minister of Tourism and Handicrafts Mohamed Moez Belhassen as saying to the media here.

About 400 tourists left the ship for excursions to Sousse, Kairouan, the Medina and Sidi Bousaid before leaving the country for Spain at 5 p.m..

Belhassen stressed the importance of the return of cruises for Tunisia’s tourism, as well as other sectors such as transport, crafts and culture.

ALSO READ: Over 5mn Tunisians fully vaccinated against Covid-19

The Minister said that a second cruise is expected in April and 40 others throughout this year.

Tourism in Tunisia generated around 19.4 million arrivals per year in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, which made it one of the most visited countries in Africa.

In 2000, there were 197,400 hotel beds in roughly 95,977 rooms with an occupancy rate at 56 per cent. At least 5,057,193 visited Tunisia that year.