Tunisian president pledges to protect freedoms

The president of Tunisia pledged on Thursday to make 2016 a year to reinforce democracy after a year of “real democratic transition” in 2015, Quds Press has reported. He reiterated his respect for the freedoms and rights of all Tunisians, which he pledged to protect, and called on them to be hopeful and united.

President Béji Caïd Essebsi made his comments in his New Year address to the people. “We believe that 2016 will be better than the previous year,” he stressed, “and there will be a new kick off towards achieving the goals of the Tunisian revolution, fighting unemployment, poverty and marginalisation.”

Although 2015 was a “difficult” year for Tunisia and the world in the fight against terrorism, he pointed out, “Our state is still standing up, the government is doing its duties and we are in the process of fighting this phenomenon.”

Meanwhile, Essebsi spoke about the government’s achievements in several economic areas, noting that it also revived many economic projects which had been suspended previously.