Tunisia’s interior ministry on Friday said it had information about serious threats to the life of President Kais Saied and the national security of the country, reported Reuters. The ministry said both internal and external elements were involved in plans targeting the president.
In a news conference, ministry spokesperson Fadhila Khelifi said that “the goal was to undermine Tunisian public security”.
“According to credible information and investigations still underway, the president of the republic and the presidency as an institution are the target of serious threats,” Khelifi told journalists.
She said there is a plan by groups both at home and abroad to target the security of President Saied and to damage state security and create chaos in the North African country.
Khelifi said investigations are ongoing to gather more information on the matter. She, however, did not provide more details on the threats or their origin.
Last year in July, Saied dismissed the government and suspended the country’s parliament. He later extended his powers over the judiciary and announced his intention to change the country’s constitution. Since taking the executive powers in his hand, Saied has set aside Tunisia’s 2014 constitution, and rules by decree.
While some Tunisians have welcomed his moves against a corrupt system, others have condemned them as a coup.
The Tunisian president has planned a referendum on July 25, when the people of Tunisia will vote on a new constitution. The opposition has already said that they will boycott the vote. The Tunisian parliament will remain suspended until a vote is held for a replacement assembly on December 17, 2022.
Earlier this month, Saied dismissed 57 judges, accusing them of corruption and protecting terrorists. The Tunisian Judges’ Association (TJA) rejected the charges and said that they were politically motivated. The TJA also launched a national strike, which has now been extended for its third week.
