“Today, we commemorate with emotion the eleventh anniversary of the democratic revolution in Tunisia of January 14, 2011.”
Brussels (Brussels Morning) Eleven years after the start of this process, the democratic aspirations of the Tunisian people remain valid and present, but their legitimate objectives have not yet been achieved say three leading members of the European Parliament.
In a press statement issued today to mark the events that gave birth to what became known as the Arab Spring, Fabio Massimo Castaldo, Vice-President of the European Parliament and President of the EU-Tunisia friendship group in the EP, Andrea Cozzolino, Delegation for relations with the Maghreb countries and the Arab Maghreb Union (including the EU-Morocco, EU-Tunisia, and EU-Algeria Joint Parliamentary Committees), and Michael Gahler, Permanent Rapporteur of Tunisia in the EP, note that the .significant advances made are now threatened by the many difficulties facing the country and its people.
The three MEPs call for the preservation of democracy, the stability of the country and demand that the wishes and aspirations of the Tunisian people be heeded as absolute priorities.
They note that the EU, and the EP, in particular, will continue to follow developments in Tunisia with the greatest attention.
“As a close partner and promoter of a democratic Tunisia, the European Union will be at the country’s side to help it overcome this institutional impasse”, they state.
“To do this, from our point of view as MEPs, we need a return to institutional stability and to the constitutional framework as soon as possible, and in particular the resumption of parliamentary activity and respect for fundamental rights, in resorting to a national dialogue that includes democratically elected representatives of the people as well as Tunisian civil society.”
Fabio Massimo, Vice-President of the European Parliament and President of the EU-Tunisia friendship group in the European Parliament. Delegation for relations with the Maghreb countries and the Arab Maghreb Union, including the EU-Morocco, EU-Tunisia, and EU-Algeria Joint Parliamentary Committees
Castaldo Andrea is an Italian politician who has been serving as a Member of the European Parliament since 2009.
Michael Gahler is a German diplomat and politician who has been serving as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) since 1999.