European Parliament head says successful Islamic democracy is possible in Tunisia

The President of the European Parliament has said that the rise of a successful Islamic democracy is possible in Tunisia. Reports in the official Tunisian media on Tuesday quoted Jerzy Buzek saying that the development of a free and democratic country which guarantees balance and a separation between politics and religion is possible, even when the democratic experience is inspired by religious values.

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During his 2-day visit to Tunisia, Mr Buzek stressed that the European Union “has no concerns about the political forces which won in the recent election”; the EU, he said, supports the results of the “free and transparent” poll for the Constituent Council.

Buzek met with a number of senior officials during his visit, including the First Minister in the transitional government and the Governor of the Central Bank, as well as the leaders of the four parties which collected the most votes. According to the EU President, the party leaders expressed their commitment to working on the reinforcement of freedoms and rights through the coalition government that they will form. Gender and women’s rights issues were on the agenda of the meeting.

The European Parliament, added Mr Buzek, is keen to support Tunisia by attracting Foreign Direct Investment into the country and helping the development of Tunisian tourism, industry and foreign trade. He said that the EU has allocated €160 million in aid to Tunisia, and more will be allocated over the next two years. In addition, the European Bank for Investment has allocated €800 million for the North African state alongside assistance that will be provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.