The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, announced on Monday 20 March at the end of the EU ‘Foreign Affairs’ Council that he had asked two ministers - Portuguese and Belgian - “to travel immediately to Tunisia in order to assess the situation and to come back with a report that will guide our future steps”.
“Everything must be done quickly, because the situation in Tunisia is very, very dangerous. If it collapses economically or socially then we will be in a situation where new flows of migrants will come to Europe. We have to avoid this situation”, Mr Borrell warned, adding that the Tunisian people should be supported.
“We cannot turn a blind eye to what is happening there”, the High Representative explained.
According to Mr Borrell, the country’s stability has two dimensions: political and economic. He said the Rule of law, respect for human rights and “essential and important” structural reforms were crucial, as was the finalisation of the programme already agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which must now be signed by Tunisian President Kaïs Saïed. “We cannot help a country that is not able to sign an agreement with the International Monetary Fund beforehand”, Mr Borrell said. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)