Head of the Venice Commission: “Tunisia is Facing a Very Deep Crisis”
Today, Thursday, August 26, 2021, the Council of Europe published the statement of the President of the Venice Commission, Gianni Bocchio, on the exceptional situation in Tunisia, in which he stressed that “since the declaration of the state of exception on July 25, 2021, the President of the Republic has concentrated the legislative, executive and partly judicial powers in his hands.”
He added that “Tunisia does not have a constitutional court, and it is facing a very deep crisis, caused on the one hand by the difficulties of managing the epidemic and on the other hand by the difficulties in the work of state institutions and the extremely high level of corruption. A large part of the Tunisian people expressed their refusal to allow this situation to continue and demanded a quick solution.
“I strongly support these legitimate and fundamental aspirations of the Tunisian people,” he said.
He continued, “Since the 2011 revolution, the Venice Commission has supported Tunisia in its search for a new beginning, starting with the preparation of a democratic constitution. The new constitution was drafted entirely by the democratically elected National Constituent Assembly and ratified almost unanimously by its members.
He also stressed that “we cannot accept that these efforts, and this exemplary and always non-violent transition to democracy, are marred by the cancer of corruption and the inability of some government officials to transcend their party affiliations and their own interests in favor of the public interest. Constitutional guarantees may not be used as a shield for criminals.”
Nevertheless, the Chairman of the Committee emphasized that he is convinced that an effective fight against the scourge of corruption must go hand in hand with respect for democracy, fundamental rights and the rule of law. One cannot exist without the other, and vice versa.
He explained that trying to use shortcuts to get quick results is powerful and understandable. But experience has taught us that any democratic and lasting reform must be carried out with respect for the constitution, the powers of democratic institutions, and guarantees of protecting the fundamental rights of all individuals, including those suspected of corruption, against any arbitrary interference.
