Brussels, 16/07/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 14 July, the European Union's counter-terrorism coordinator Gilles de Kerchove was hosted in Tunis by Tunisia's Prime Minister Habib Essid. According to Tunisian sources, they spoke about “strengthening Euro-Tunisian cooperation against terrorism and mechanisms able to remove this dangerous scourge”. The EU has already announced its contribution to funding specific programmes - particularly training programmes for the police.
The fight against terrorism will doubtless be discussed over lunch on the sidelines of the EU Council of Ministers session with Tunisia's Foreign Minister Taieb Baccouche, as High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini told the European Parliament.
The counter-terrorism theme is key in debates in Tunisia - a country subject to increasing terrorist pressure, due especially to its easily-crossed borders with Libya. Interviewed on a local private television channel, Tunisia's President Beji Caid Essebsi said that “Tunisia must fight against terrorism with very limited means - hence the appeal for logistical and material assistance from its brother countries and friends”. He also recognised the failure of the security services, like in Sousse - where he said they were “slow to take action (…) a shortcoming that needs to be addressed in the future”. In addition, he recognised the risk involved by the existence of a “parallel security” and affirmed that a “vast clean-up operation was under way of the different departments in the Ministry of the Interior”. Decisions have recently been made to dismiss some senior personnel.
Elsewhere, leader of the Party of European Socialists (PES) Sergei Stanishev visited Sousse on 15 July to show his support to Tunisia - a country that “has been through two terrible tragedies in recent months”. Stanishev added: “It's important that we show our support in these difficult times. We can't allow these horrible events to create a climate of fear and to isolate a neighbour and vital ally of the EU”. Before the end of Stanishev's visit on Thursday 16 July, he was due to meet Essid and several civil society organisations. (Fathi B'Chir)