Check against delivery! 

Thank you, President, Minister [for EU Affairs of Sweden, Jessika Roswall], Honourable Members [of the European Parliament]. 

I want to thank you for this exchange today. Tunisia finds itself at a difficult juncture, both politically and economically. 

Our partner and neighbour is undergoing a delicate transitional period. We witnessed many changes in the country in the past year and a half. The European Union is worried about some of the measures adopted in Tunisia in the past few months.  

What today adds [up] to our concerns is indeed the worsening economic situation in Tunisia. A country, which was already suffering structural fragilities, was then further hit by the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and now by the damaging impact of the Russian aggression against Ukraine. 

Since the 2011 Revolution, the European Union has provided more than €3 billion in support of [the] Tunisian democratic transition. In addition, we supported the Tunisian people during the COVID-19 pandemic, as Team Europe and via our contributions to the COVAX platform. We will keep standing by the Tunisian people now that their situation is even more challenging.  

The European Union is well aware of the complexities of the current socio-economic context in Tunisia. The important reforms it needs to accomplish in order to ensure long-term prosperity can be painful. 

This is why the European Union welcomes the agreement reached at technical level between the Tunisian administration and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). It is now urgent that the agreement is signed.  We need to see a clear commitment from the Tunisian government to carry out the structural reforms that they have proposed to the Fund. The European Union remains committed to accompanying Tunisia in the implementation of these important measures. 

Under the current political circumstances in Tunisia, an inclusive dialogue with all relevant political and civil society actors remains crucial. Ensuring the largest consensus possible is fundamental to ensure successful reforms and sustainable growth. This is a message we have been passing to our Tunisian partners in the past months and we reconfirm today. 

I thank you. 

Link to the video (starting from 2:59): https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-236712

Closing remarks  

Thank you, President, Minister [for EU Affairs of Sweden, Jessika Roswall], Honourable Members [of the European Parliament. 

Tunisia, of course, is a very important partner of the European Union, and we are following attentively and with concern the latest arrests that have been taking place in the past few days. 

Our values are clear, and we have been vocal about them. We believe that respect for the right to a fair trial and due process requirements, including judicial transparency, are crucial.  

And I recall that our partnership with Tunisia is rooted in shared values such as democracy, the rule of law and human rights, including fundamental freedoms. 

We remained determined to continue supporting the Tunisian population against the very difficult socio-economic backdrop, while taking into account the evolution of the deteriorating political situation. 

We exchanged with our Member States, and we all think it would be a mistake to discontinue our assistance now – which would impose the highest price to pay on the Tunisian people. 

We maintained the annual level of bilateral assistance and we adapted it to propose meaningful tailor-made programmes according to the current context. 

We expect the new Tunisian government to respond to their own commitments. The European Union will stand by the Tunisian people and support reform efforts in today’s complex context.  

Thank you. 

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-236717