On a visit to Habib Bourguiba Street in the centre of the capital after the death of a man who set his body on fire in protest against the economic situation, Tunisian President Kais Saied said he was preparing to amend the country’s constitution, but stressed that he would only do so using existing constitutional means.
Speaking on Tunisian television from The Habib Bou Reyba Street in central Tunis on Saturday evening, Reuters reported, he respected the democratic 2014 constitution, but was not eternal and could be amended.
He also pointed out that amendments must be made within the framework of the constitution, pointing out that he is about to appoint a new government. “We are working within the framework of legitimacy and we promise the Tunisian people that we are on the covenant, and I will continue on the same approach,” he said.
“We are not afraid of those who break their vows.”
“We respected the law, respected morality and all values, and promised them the word of truth, but those we agreed with broke promises,” Said said during his tour of the capital’s famous street. “There are those who talk about legitimacy and do not respect it, and we are not afraid of those who have betrayed their homelands and covenants, and we will work to form a government as soon as possible,” he said.
Last week, G7 ambassadors urged Tunisia to “quickly return to a constitutional system” in which an elected parliament plays a “prominent role,” according to a statement issued by the British embassy.
They also stressed “the urgent need to appoint a new prime minister so that a capable government can be formed that can address the current economic and health crises facing Tunisia,” saying it would “allow for a comprehensive dialogue on the proposed constitutional and electoral reforms.”
Tunisian dies, his body set on fire
Saied’s visit to Habib Bourguiba Street came after a Tunisian died earlier yesterday of burns he sustained after setting himself on fire, in an incident that brought to mind the spark of the 2011 Tunisian revolution when street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi burned himself.
An eyewitness told Reuters, declining to be identified, that the man arrived at Habib Bourguiba Avenue with his youngest son.
He added that they tried to attract the attention of journalists who were at the scene to cover a vigil, before the man poured a burning substance on his body and then set fire to a lighter.
While a passer-by tried to pull the lighter out of his hand, he began to run between the sidewalks of the crowded cafés.
Subsequently, people sought to extinguish the fire by means available before civil protection intervened, but later died of his serious injuries.
Rifi-JDD