Brussels, 06/05/2013 (Agence Europe) - Tunisia is hoping that the EU will follow the same line as Germany and provide it with debt relief. Germany signed an agreement in Tunis on 2 May for conversion of Tunisia's debt of €30 million (TND 60 million). This is the second agreement signed by Germany and Tunisia. They had agreed on a similar deal in June 2012 for the same amount.
The Tunisian minister for foreign affairs, Othman Jerandi, explained that conversion into development projects of one part of the Tunisian debt would provide relief for the Tunisian budget burden. German Secretary of State Hans-Jurgen Beerfeltz said that this would make it possible to intensify economic cooperation between Tunisia and Germany's small and medium-sized enterprises.
The subject was discussed by the European Parliament in February at the initiative of Eva Joly (Greens/EFA, France), who chairs the development committee. She explained that Tunisia's burden of debt was unsustainable and urged member states to institute a moratorium in order to stop the haemorrhaging debt repayments that amount to around €20 billion. The EU, she said, has instruments that allow debt to be converted into aid. According to media reports, she also said that international law would allow debts contracted by non-democratic governments - debts that are not used in the public interest - to be contested. She is of the opinion that this is the case for a large part of the Tunisian debt. (FB/transl.jl)