14/05/24 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 14 May, Nabila Massrali, spokeswoman for the European External Action Service, announced that the European Union had been following recent developments in Tunisia with “concern”, in particular the arrests of several civil society figures, journalists and politicians for criticising the situation in the country. “Civil society associations and the media play a fundamental role in all democracies, playing a direct part in the economic and social development of the country”, the spokeswoman stressed, pointing out that freedom of expression and association, like the independence of the judiciary, were guaranteed by the Tunisian Constitution and formed the basis of the partnership between the EU and Tunisia. She announced that the EU delegation had requested clarification from the Tunisian authorities as to the reasons for the arrests. (CG)