Tunisia expels the general secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation after marching against the Government

18 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The President of Tunisia, Kais Saied, announced this Saturday the order to expel the Secretary General of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), Esther Lynch, for participating a few hours ago in a protest against the authorities in which she denounced a policy of government repression of the country’s unions.

The statement, published on the Presidency’s Facebook page, gives Lynch a period of 24 hours to leave the country as persona non grata.

The Government understands that, during the protest that she attended in the port city of Sfax, in the northeast of the country, the trade unionist made statements interpreted as “flagrant and unacceptable interference in the internal affairs of the country.”

Lynch was in Tunis at the invitation of the country’s most powerful union, the Tunis General Union of Workers, to take part in a march against President Saied, whom they accuse of having plunged the country into political and economic chaos after arrogating powers. of Parliament last year, in what his critics have described as a self-coup.

In his participation, Lynch described the UGTT as “the last bastion of Tunisian democracy” and denounced the “suffocation to which people are being subjected at the hands of the authorities” before addressing the president: “The world is watching you Stop targeting the unions”, picks up the Mosaique FM chain.

“We also warn the government against any plan to remove subsidies on basic items such as food and energy. With everyday life becoming increasingly difficult, Tunisians need strong and independent unions now more than ever,” he added in his speech, also collected on the website of the European trade union organization.

UGTT spokesman Sami Taheri immediately condemned the Tunisian authorities’ decision to deport Lynch — who, on the other hand, was scheduled to leave the country tomorrow — calling it a “shame and dishonor” for Tunisia, which it will only end up being “counterproductive towards the interests of all”.