Maite Mola, Vice-President of the Party of the European Left declares: 

 

We express our total and unconditional support for the social and peaceful protests of the Tunisian people against the neoliberal measures of austerity imposed by the government of Beji Essebsi, sponsored by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

 

Since the 2015 agreement with the IMF, the government of Beji Essebsi has condemned the Tunisian people to poverty, hunger, unemployment, repression and illegal immigration. Furthermore, the government has announced a financial austerity plan for 2018, supposing a savage capitalist policy and cuts, which condemn the popular classes to unemployment and poverty.

 

The Tunisian people, who in 2011 articulated the revolution against the dictatorship of Zinedin el Abedin Ali and overthrew it, have gone back to the streets to peacefully defend their rights.

 

The EL condemns, after five days of peaceful protests, the repressive government of Tunisia has murdered one person and arrested 800 protesters, including 200 detentions of young people between 15 and 20 years, as well as municipal political leaders and coordinators of social movements.

 

The EL calls the international authorities to demand from the government of Beji Essebsi the end of military repression, as well as the arbitrary and indiscriminate arrest of people who are freely exercising their right of manifestation and free expression.

 

In the same way, the EL demands that the European Union puts an end to the deportations of migrants and to the negotiations in this sense that are being carried out by the government. In 2016, the European authorities issued 10,290 orders for the expulsion of migrants to Tunisia, of which 2,540 were executed, but which have been alarmingly increased in 2017.

 

From the EL, we demand that the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights does his work diligently, so that it mediates in the conflict, prioritizes and guarantees the welfare of the people, the right to life, freedom of manifestation and freedom of expression and respect for Human Rights of Tunisian citizens in general.

 

Finally, the European Left encourages the Tunisian people to resist, regroup and organize in their struggle against capitalist policies. To continue defending and claiming class equality, building a social and political alternative that guarantees human rights, democracy and social welfare.