Controversy in Tunisia over the fate of a boat carrying medical alcohol

Text by: RFI Follow

A ship loaded with medical alcohol, intended for the manufacture of hydro-alcoholic gel, connecting China to Tunisia, would have been hijacked and redirected to Italy, revealed on March 23 Mohamed el-Msellini, the Tunisian Minister of Trade , who has since returned to this statement.

Publicity

The video still exists and it has been widely shared on the Web in Tunisia where the news creates controversy. We see Mohamed el-Msellini, Tunisian Minister of Trade, affirming to the private channel Elhiwar Ettounsi that " a ship heading for Tunisia has been pirated at sea by the Italians ". On March 24, on Shams FM radio, the same minister returned to his declarations specifying that he had spoken of " a hijacking at sea ", but without mentioning the Italians this time. The Minister then adds that it is a freighter without further details.

Joined by RFI on Wednesday, the minister's office declined to comment on the matter. The news still worried Tunisian opinion, especially since it comes shortly after another controversy which pitted the Czech Republic and Italy over a shipment comprising tens of thousands of masks and respirators intended for Italy.

In any case, the incident does not seem to disrupt relations between the two countries. On Wednesday, the Italian Development Agency announced that the two countries were continuing " their cooperation to overcome this difficult moment together ". Italy has notably granted an aid loan of 50 million euros to the Tunisian Central Bank to support businesses facing the impact of the coronavirus.

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