General debate on draft State budget for 2010: Prime Minister’s answer

Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi expressed pride at the favourable reception reserved by the people’s representatives to the speech of the President of the Republic delivered on the occasion of his oath-taking, on November 12, 2009, and their commitment to the national constants, first and foremost attachment to Tunisia’s sovereignty and the independence of its decision, and the call launched, in that speech, to join efforts of all Tunisians, regardless of their political inclinations, to further work to take up challenges.

Answering, on Tuesday afternoon, the MPs’ interventions during the general debate on the draft State budget for 2010, the prime minister voiced satisfaction at the deputies’ endorsement of President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali’s choices and their positive interaction with his forward-looking programme “Together, We Meet Challenges,” as well as with the ambitious goals it bears and which meet the national community’s aspirations.

Having noted with pride the MPs’ adherence to the successive initiatives of the Head of State in the area of development of political life, in accordance with a rational and gradual approach that takes into consideration society’s development, Mr. Ghannouchi pointed out that the presidential and legislative elections marked a decisive stage in this process.

Indeed, he said, this event recorded the largest number possible of candidates and of registered voters on electoral rolls, who reached 5.3 million Tunisians, at home and abroad.

He reminded, in this context, of the major role played by the Constitutional Council during those elections, which helped, he added, strengthen the opposition parties’ presence in the Chamber of Deputies by winning 53 seats, i.e. 16 seats more than in the previous legislature. He also underlined the commitment of the administration to respect impartiality throughout the different stages of the electoral process and its keenness to enforce the law in total transparency and neutrality.

Strengthening national dialogue

Commenting on the proposal put forward by some MPs to adopt the proportional representation system in elections, the prime minister said that the voting mode currently in force, which is a combination of both proportional and winner-takes- all systems, serves the interest of the Opposition, all the more so that it had allowed 6 political parties to be represented in the Chamber of Deputies, pointing out that this system, which has shown its efficiency, is the most appropriate at the present stage.

With regard to strengthening the national dialogue, the prime minister pointed out that the Head of State has made of dialogue one of the methods of governance and management of public affairs, convinced as he is that Tunisia belongs to all Tunisians. He reminded, in this respect, of the presidential decision to involve political parties in the higher consultative councils, which imparted a new dynamics on works of these bodies and helped enrich debates on the different sectors.

The prime minister also underlined that opposition parties are today represented in different constitutional institutions, such as the Chamber of Deputies and Chamber of Advisers, the Economic and Social Council, regional councils and municipal councils. He said that, contrarily to comments of some people who say that economic and social development prevails over political development, the Tunisian model is marked by the correlation between political development and socio-economic development.

In this context, he underlined that achievement of an annual growth rate of 5% throughout the past twenty 22 years, despite difficulties registered during that period, was by no means a matter of chance or the exclusive product of a policy of economic incentive and openness. Rather, it was the result of a corollary of political stability and social peace.

He pointed out that the national consensus around shared denominators that bring together all Tunisians has been strengthened through the numerous presidential initiatives taken to enhance the democratic process and ensure the participation of all in public life.

Presidential keenness to further promote media

As regards the media sector, Mr. Mohamed Ghannouchi placed emphasis on evolution experienced by Tunisia, during last years, one characterised by plurality of the audio-visual media, the written and electronic press, as well as diversity and multiplication of dialogue fora.

He reminded the Head of State’s reasserting, in his speech delivered on November 12, 2009, keenness to further promote the media sector, in such a manner as to be a faithful mirror of the richness of the political landscape and diversity of approaches and visions.

In this connection, he underscored the Head of State’s commitment to see to it that the national media deepen examination of topics with no taboos, as long as they comply with the law and rules of professional ethics, underlining that these media will make the most of greater support from all ministries, so that they could have access to an updated information that allows them to discharge at best their mission.

Signs of revival registered despite of world economic and financial crisis

In another connection, the prime minister spoke the world economic and financial crisis, in spite of a few signs of revival registered during the latest period, underlining that Tunisia adopted a realistic and audacious approach to contain the perverse effects of the crisis.

He underlined that although the agricultural season contributed to the achievement of a positive growth, it remains true that its share was limited to 0.7% out of 3% of the growth rate, stressing the important temporary and structural measures immediately decided by the Head of State, which has helped raise by 1% the growth rate. He pointed out that, had it not been for those efficient measures, the growth rate would not have exceeded 2% and that job creation would have only reached 40,000 jobs, instead of 57,000 scheduled jobs.

The prime minister underscored diversification of exports during the current year, as the sector recorded a negative, with estimates of a 6.5-per-cent drop, pointing out demand on the domestic market (consumption and investment included), was at the origin of the achieved growth.

He underlined that, despite seriousness of the world crisis, volume of the private investments rose at an acceptable pace.

Mr. Mohamed Ghannouchi stressed the greater contribution of the banking sector in boosting investment, underlining that banks contributed, during the first nine months of 2009, to finance 2,187 projects at a total amount worth 3,072 million dinars, i.e. a 50-per-cent rise compared with the financing during the same period of 2008, in addition to the materialisation of several large-scale projects.

Winning the stake of employment remains the first of Government’s priorities

Mr. Mohamed Ghannouchi pointed out that projects achieved by internationally renowned companies from Japan, Korea, Germany, Italy and France helped create 7,500 jobs in the inlands regions.

He underlined the Tunisian Government’s full awareness of the persistence of some after-effects of the world crisis that require vigilance.

Mr. Mohamed Ghannouchi also reviewed the issue of employment, saying that winning the stake of employment remains the first of Government’s priorities.

He underlined that the major target of the coming years is to speed up the job creation pace to reach 85,000 jobs/year, while focusing efforts on creation of income sources for university graduates, who account for 60% of additional job demands.

He reminded, in this context, of keenness reasserted in presidential programme to direct investment to the high technological and cognitive contents sectors.

With regard to scientific research, Mr. Mohamed Ghannouchi emphasised the State’s care to back up partnership between research centres and economic enterprises, while prioritising technological innovation for which one third of credits appropriated to the scientific and technological research sector will be mobilised.

He added that social justice is one of the major attributes of the balanced society whose foundations the Head of State endeavours to lay.

This has been illustrated, he said, by the widening of the middle class, the reinforcement of the foundations of social well-being, reduction of poverty and support lent to mechanisms of assistance to low-income families.

The prime minister highlighted the key role played by taxation in this area, thanks to restructuring of direct income tax, which accounts for 40% of fiscal revenues, while it was only 18% in 1989.

State’s keenness to finetune the taxation system

Mr. Ghannouchi underscored the State’s keenness to finetune the taxation system, in line with the goals set by the presidential programme, pointing out that taxation on wages will not exceed this year 17% of fiscal revenues, a rate which is below 10% of paid salaries.

Mr. Ghannouchi underlined, in conclusion, that the comprehensive and coherent presidential programme for the next five-year period (2009-2014) opens the broadest prospects in all areas and enhances confidence in the present and the future, which requires, he said, redoubling efforts to take up challenges and reap more gains for the country.(TAP)