Tunisia, unions agree to talks on reforms

TUNIS: Tunisia’s government and both its main labour and commerce unions agreed on Friday to start talks on Monday over economic reforms required by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a rescue programme.

State news agency TAP reported that Prime Minister Najla Bouden, UGTT labour union chief Noureddine Taboubi and UTICA commerce union chief Samir Majoul had agreed a “social contract” to tackle national challenges, citing a government statement.

The UGTT reposted the statement on its Facebook page.

The labour union, which represents a vast syndicate of workers, has been a staunch critic of IMF economic reforms proposed by the government, including subsidy cuts, a public sector wage freeze and the restructuring of state-owned companies.

It previously said, such reforms would increase the suffering of Tunisians and lead to an imminent social implosion.

Tunisia is seeking $4 billion in IMF support amid the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine, though diplomat sources told Reuters any IMF programme approved would be unlikely to reach that level.

The IMF wants the UGTT, a powerful union that has a million members and has previously paralysed parts of the economy in protest, to formally agree to government reforms.

Efforts to secure the IMF bailout have been complicated by Tunisia’s political upheavals since President Kais Saied seized most powers a year ago, shuting down parliament and moving to rule by decree.

Last month, he pushed through a new constitution formalising many of the expanded powers he has assumed in a referendum. Official figures showed that 31 per cent of Tunisians took part, but opposition groups have rejected the figure, calling it inflated.

Separately, two Tunisian soldiers were wounded on Friday in an exchange of fire with suspected militants during a military operation in a mountainous region of the south, the defence ministry said.

The shootout happened at Mount Salloum near the town of Kasserine close to the border with Algeria, where militants operate, local media reported.

“There was an exchange of fire between soldiers and a group of terrorists in the Kasserine area,” defence ministry spokesman Mohamed Zekri said.