Tunisian purchasing power deteriorating: Labour Union

The purchasing power of Tunisians has deteriorated, the country’s main trade union said, Anadolu News Agency reports.

“All indicators issued by the National Institute of Statistics (INS) show that the Tunisian purchasing power has deteriorated,” Noureddine Taboubi, the Secretary-General of the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT), told a union event in the capital, Tunis, on Tuesday.

Tunisia’s inflation rate hit 6.7 per cent in January, up from 6.6 per cent in December, according to figures by INS.

READ: Tunisia Labour Union criticises President Saied’s exclusion of national participation on reforms

Several commodities were also reported to be insufficient in markets, such as cooking oil, sugar and rice.

Tunisia is going through a severe economic crisis aggravated by the coronavirus pandemic and rising fuel prices amid the ongoing Russian war on Ukraine.

Last year, Tunisian President, Kais Saied, dismissed the government, suspended parliament and assumed executive authority, in a move decried by opponents as a “coup”.

Tunisia labour union calls on gov’t to take charge of economic crisis – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/Middle East Monitor]