US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said Tunisia must address concerns about democracy if it wants "much-needed" financial support, and criticized President Kais Saied's unilateral actions.
The US Secretary of State expressed his country's concern about the political situation in Tunisia.
He added in a testimony before the Appropriations Committee of the US House of Representatives that the dissolution of Parliament, the lack of transparency in the reform process, the abuses committed against civilians and freedom of expression, affect US aid to Tunisia.
"I share your concern about the unilateral decision to dissolve Parliament. I have spoken with President Saeed several times on this matter. We are pushing for a comprehensive and transparent reform process that includes political parties, unions, and civil society," the US Secretary of State said.
Blinken added that the Tunisian president had committed to holding a referendum in July and parliamentary elections in December, "and he could have moved faster, but Tunisia should at least stick to those dates."
He pointed out that an electronic consultation was conducted on constitutional reforms in Tunisia, saying that the participation rate is weak and reached about 6%, which does not reflect a comprehensive course of reform.
monopoly power
The US Secretary of State spoke about the use of military courts to prosecute civilians, especially in cases related to freedom of expression, and said, "We have seen the infringement of civil society and the independence of the judiciary. All of these factors affect our assistance."
The US Secretary expressed his concern about President Kais Saied's seizure of power.
He said Tunisia "at least" needs to move forward with the parliamentary elections promised at the end of the year.
"What is happening now has made them deviate from the right track," he added.
"We have made it clear that we can offer our support, but we need to see Tunisia return to the path it was on," he added.
It is noteworthy that President Saeed has taken exceptional unilateral measures since last year, which have so far resulted in freezing and then dissolving parliament and dismissing the government.
He granted himself powers to appoint the head of the Independent High Authority for Elections, and appointed a new Judicial Council.
US lawmakers have pressured Biden to take more aggressive action, including halting nearly $500 million in aid under the Millennium Challenge Corporation, which is eligible for countries that respect democratic governance.