Brussels, 12/12/2012 (Agence Europe) - On 12 December in Tunis, the European Commission signed the funding agreement of €68 million, announced during the recent Association Council session on 19 November. This annual payment will help towards funding the second economic recovery support programme (PAR 2), whose objective is to underpin implementation of the Tunisian government's economic and social programme. The programme will provide the country with multi-sectoral expertise and financial resources for ensuring its macro-economic stability and help guarantee the successful outcome of its political transition.
On 10 December, the Commission announced that it would be granting budgetary aid of €15 million to Tunisia under the “ongoing democratic transition” assistance programme and the “implementation of certain recently agreed priorities” at the Association Council. This payment comes on top of the €10 million agreed last March in the framework of the same programme and which has helped to fund action in the media, justice and immigration fields.
In the current situation, European support to Tunisia has been criticised within Tunisian civil society, particularly since the announcement last November of the opening of talks to grant Tunisia the status of “privileged partner”. Criticism focuses less on the substance of this European support but rather, its timing. Civil society and the democratic political class are concerned by the obvious intention of the Islamists to control the country's institutions, as is the case in Egypt. The situation is tense there and difficult negotiations are being carried out between the government and the main trade union (UGTT) to avoid a general strike planned for 13 December. (FB/transl.fl)