A delegation from the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs due to visit Tunisia from 14 to 16 September has been banned from entering the country by the Tunisian authorities.
In a letter dated 13 September to the EU delegation in Tunisia, the Tunisian Minister of Foreign Affairs announced that the delegation would not be allowed to enter the country if the visit went ahead “despite the numerous reservations”.
“We condemn the Tunisian authorities’ decision to refuse entry to the delegation from the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs and demand a detailed explanation. This behaviour is unprecedented since the democratic revolution of 2011”, stressed the European Parliament delegation, led by Michael Gahler (EPP, German) and comprising Dietmar Köster (S&D, German), Salima Yenbou (Renew Europe, French), Mounir Satouri (Greens/EFA, French) and Emmanuel Maurel (The Left, French), in a press release.
When questioned by EUROPE, Mr Gahler said that the Tunisian authorities’ decision had “surprised” him. According to him, he and his colleague Mounir Satouri were not welcome in the country. Mr Gahler noted that he had denounced the behaviour of the Tunisian President, back in July 2011.
During this follow-up mission to a visit in April 2022 (see EUROPE 12933/16), the MEPs wanted to meet the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Tunisian Parliament, the opposition, civil society and trade unions. They had already been informed that the Minister did not wish to receive them and that, consequently, neither did Parliament.
Speaking in the European Parliament, Mr Gahler described Tunisia’s decision as “unacceptable”, calling on the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, to “take the necessary measures”.
The President’s spokesman told EUROPE that the situation was “regrettable”. “Parliament will seek clarification and find an appropriate solution that allows MEPs to carry out their responsibilities”, he added.
The spokeswoman for the European External Action Service, Nabila Massrali, said that the entry ban had “come as a surprise after the many visits in recent months, which have made it possible to establish a frank and open dialogue between all the European and Tunisian institutions”, and that the EU ambassador to Tunisia had expressed his “regrets”. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)