– The foreign ministry of Tunisia said on Tuesday that Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s comments about Tunisia’s leader dissolving parliament were “unacceptable interference” in internal affairs.
Erdogan slammed President Kais Saied’s decree dissolving parliament last week as a “smear of democracy” and a betrayal of the Tunisian people’s will on Monday.
“Tunisia expresses its surprise at the Turkish President’s statement… these remarks are unacceptable,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“Tunisia affirms its desire for close ties with friendly countries, but it maintains its decision-making independence and rejects interference in its sovereignty,” it said.
Othman Jerandi, Tunisia’s foreign minister, said on Twitter on Wednesday that he spoke with his Turkish counterpart by phone and summoned the Turkish ambassador to Tunisia to express his country’s rejection of President Erdogan’s remarks.
Last week, Tunisia’s political crisis worsened when more than half of parliament’s members convened an online meeting to revoke Saied’s decrees. Saied retaliated by dissolving parliament and imposing one-man rule on the country.
Last week, anti-terrorism police summoned Rached Ghannouchi, the main opposition figure and Parliament Speaker, as well as other lawmakers, for questioning.
Saied’s decision was panned both at home and abroad. The US State Department expressed grave concern, while the opposition has called for a protest in Tunis next Sunday.
Saied’s decision to dissolve parliament was rejected by Ghannouchi, the head of the Islamist Ennahda party, who said that other virtual sessions would be convened.