Tunisia premier warns no one safe in anti-graft ‘war’
$288 million confiscated in past 8 months, says Chahed
“It is a system that can be seen everywhere... Even social protests are exploited by this system (of corruption), and terrorists also benefit from it,” he said.
The anti-corruption arrests, made possible by a state of emergency in force since November 2015, have been largely welcomed.
But some say such measures do not go far enough, and that more is needed than the arrest of a few prominent figures.
Chahed rejected criticism of the use of the state of emergency to make the arrests.
“In exceptional circumstances, exceptional measures,” he said, adding: “Other actions are planned in this framework... People will have to get used to them,” as they have “in the fight against terrorism.”
Since the 2011 revolution, Tunisia has experienced an increase in terror attacks that have killed dozens of members of the security forces and 59 foreign tourists.
Analyst Hamza Meddeb of the European University Institute near Florence, speaking before Sunday’s interview, said that by making the arrests Chahed’s government may well have wanted to ease the pressure caused by the social unrest.
But he finds himself in a delicate position.
“If he goes further, he risks touching extremely well-established interests and political elites,” Meddeb said, adding that he cannot back down “without it appearing that he has let himself be used.”