The Tunisian General Labor Union warned of what it called many indications that there is a tendency to push the conflict in the country to its maximum, while opposition activists continue their hunger strike, in protest against what they described as the coup d'état of President Kais Saied.
Union spokesman Sami al-Tahri considered that the president's daily speeches, and what he called incitement electronic campaigns, are indications of an approaching clash, as he put it.
Al-Tahri added that the government wants to push for conflict with the union, by deliberately breaching its obligations, closing the door to dialogue regarding a number of outstanding issues, and not implementing the agreements that the government has committed to.
In a new speech on Thursday, Saeed said that he was aware of the "conspiracies" conspired by some at home and abroad, up to the point of assassination, after monitoring a phone call talking about the timing of them.
Saeed called - in a video clip broadcast by the presidency - yesterday, Thursday, to pay attention to what is being planned today by some "traitors who sold their consciences to foreign intelligence to assassinate a number of officials."
Al-Tahri: The president's daily speeches and electronic incitement campaigns are indications of an approaching clash (Al-Jazeera - archive)
hunger strike
Meanwhile, activists in the "Citizens Against the Coup" initiative and politicians continue their hunger strike for the second day, in protest against what they described as the president's coup path.
The initiative announced - in a statement - a set of demands, most notably the release of imprisoned parliamentarians, stopping military trials, stopping what it described as employing the judiciary and the security establishment in the political struggle and silencing the opposition, in addition to ensuring freedom of the media.
For his part, a member of the "Citizens Against the Coup" initiative, Ezz El-Din El-Hazki, called on the democratic forces to join the initiative, and to overcome all political differences between them, to achieve the goals of the revolution.
Free fall for press freedom
In a related context, the International Federation of Journalists called for the immediate withdrawal of the circular issued by Tunisian Prime Minister Najla Bouden, related to the rules of government communication.
The union said, in a statement, that press freedom in Tunisia has been in a free fall for months.
He described Boden's publication as severely restricting the right to access information, and could create fear among members of the government wishing to communicate with the press.
And the Prime Minister had called - in a circular addressed to the ministers - to coordinate with the liaison interests of the Presidency of the Government regarding the form and content of each media appearance, and to refrain from attending and participating in television channels and radio stations, which she described as violating the law.