Coronavirus: Tunisian president enacts law granting PM exceptional powers

13 Avril 2020

Tunis, Tunisia, April 13 (Infosplusgabon) - Tunisian President Kais Saied on Sunday enacted a law that gives the Prime Minster exceptional powers to deal with the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic in the country.

Under the law, Parliament has temporarily delegated powers to Prime Minister Elyes Fakhfakh to allow him to legislate by decree on how to deal with the consequences of coronavirus, a source close to the Tunisian presidency said.

Tunisia has 707 confirmed cases and 31 deaths.

The law allows the Prime Minister to legislate for two months without going through parliament to take measures to directly or indirectly supervise, support and assist individuals and businesses affected by the consequences of COVID-19.

It allows the head of government to mobilise resources for the benefit of the state budget to cover the costs of these impacts.

With regard to rights and freedoms, the government will have the latitude to organise them and adapt them to the preventive measures required by the fight against coronavirus, according to the text of the law passed by Parliament on 4 April and promulgated by Tunisian President Saied.

Despite the relatively small number of coronavirus victims in Tunisia, the authorities continue to call on the population to respect the curfew and general health containment decreed to prevent the spread of this disease.

In addition to awareness-raising actions, the government has taken deterrent measures, including fines and criminal penalties against offenders.

FIN/INFOSPLUSGABON/SER/GABON2020

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