Tunisian president Kais Saied has launched a hardline message after refusing entry to the country last week to a delegation of European Parliament members.
A delegation of European MEPs wanted to visit Tunisia last week, but were refused entry. This week, Tunisian President Kais Saied told Prime Minister Ahmed Hachani, Interior MInister Kamel Feki and Justice Minister Leila Jaffel, that he felt the delegation came with the wrong intentions.
The MEPs had the stated aim of understanding the current political situation in the country, supporting inclusive national dialogue, and assessing the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the EU and Tunisia.
'Inspections as if they were the masters and we were slaves'
"Some foreign channels appear to be giving out the wrong information." The Tunisian President said that those channels would do better to focus on the situations in their own countries if they wanted to talk about freedom of the press and expression and not come and meddle in Tunisian affairs.
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In a video published by the President's office, Saied urged the EU to cease "interference in our internal affairs because Tunisia does not interfere in theirs. They should also halt these delegations that would like to inspect us, as if we were colonies or under a protectorate. If they want we can send delegations to carry out similar operations in all those countries. As if they were the masters and we were the slaves. They come from abroad to see our situation but we can do the same thing, this is the principle of fair treatment," he added.
Criticism of foreign media and national television
On the subject of migrants, the President, citing an unspecified foreign television channel, said: "Make it known to everyone that our military and security forces are working on the ground and are not waiting for coverage from foreign media that provide false information, as if they had taken the place of the Tunisian state. Like this investigation published by an [unspecified, Ed.] television channel. Our forces are on the ground and those that want to get some information would do better to focus on their own information and situation. They should prove their objectivity and provide us with the reality of the situation in their countries, instead of accusing us and taking on the role of a public prosecutor. They must stop their interference."
The Tunisian leader also criticized the country's national television broadcaster, which - in his view - did not provide enough coverage of a large operation in the Sfax region over the weekend.