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Tunisia ruling party, opposition lock horns
[MAGHAREBIA] Tunisia's ruling Islamist party and the opposition have yet to come to terms on a strategy for ending the country's weeks-long political impasse.

Ennahda on Monday (September 23rd) said it welcomed the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT)'s initiative as a basis for dialogue.

"Ennahda doesn't have a problem with the government members tendering their resignation, but has a problem with the actual procedures for resignation which can only start once the democratic process has been put in place," party official Rafik Abdessalem said.

"The solution for Tunisia's current political crisis lies in approving the constitution, preserving the National Constituent Assembly (ANC), and forming a new government once the constitution is drafted and a date is set for the next election," he added.

For his part, Ennahda official Ajmi Lourimi expressed his surprise over the "opposition's demand for the government's resignation".

But Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) Secretary-General Houcine Abbassi on Tuesday confirmed that his group would continue to mobilise activists and citizens to rescue the country".

Ennahda spoke about accepting the dialogue initiative, he said, while the "UGTT is talking about a clear roadmap".

The roadmap presented by UGTT instead stipulates, "The government must comprise independent technocrats with full powers."

Abbassi noted the UGTT considered that to be a rejection of the roadmap rather than an acceptance thereof as promoted by Ennahda in the media.

Meanwhile,
...back at the precinct house, Sergeant Maloney wasn't buying it. It was just too pat. The whole thing smelled phony, kind of like a dead mackeral but without the scales...
Ennahda Vice President Abdelhamid Jelassi called on the quartet that sponsors territory dialogue to act neutrally and speed up the launch of talks. "It makes no sense for the dialogue sponsors to threaten to take to the street against Ennahda," he said.

"The obstruction of ANC's work and pressures on state budget are the result of unjust demands and strikes," Jelassi added, noting that, "the ruling troika, and especially Ennahda, is ready to handle its responsibilities but refuses to bear the brunt for everything negative in the country."

In her turn, Wided Bou Chammeoui, chairperson of the Employers' Organisation, one of the main sponsors of national dialogue, said, "The economic situation in Tunisia is very bad, and all parties must agree on serving Tunisia's interests."

"Nobody can talk about investments in this uncertain economic situation," she added.

Away from politicians' conflicts, Tunisians are apprehensive about the future after political talks stalled.

"On the one hand, we have a failed government clinging on to power despite the catastrophes we're now facing, such as rising cost of living or the threat of terrorism; and on the other hand, we have the opposition that threatens escalatory steps and protests," Mouna Ichi, an employee, told Magharebia. "If this happens, it will be a catastrophe for Tunisia if festivities take place in the streets."

In his turn, student Mouedh Bethebet told Magharebia, "The government should stop procrastinating. The troika parties must shoulder the responsibility for their failure in running the country and take swift steps to fix what can be fixed before it's too late."
Posted by: Fred 2013-09-27
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=376573