President Ben Ali appoints new Minister of Interior and Local Development

President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali conferred on Wednesday morning with Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi who said that the Head of State had decided to:

- Appoint Ahmed Friaa as Minister of the Interior and Local Development.

- Release all those detained during the latest clashes in some inland regions except those whose involvement in serious violence, wilful damage and fire setting to property had been proved by judicial inquiry.

- Create a special committee to investigate possible abuse during these incidents.

- Set up a second commission of inquiry to investigate corruption and the errors made by some officials.

- Call on the Chamber of Deputies and the Chamber of Advisors to hold respectively on Thursday a special session for a frank dialogue on the decisions, measures and practical plans announced so as to immediately start implementing the exceptional initiatives ordered by the head of state last Monday in matters of employment, creation of income sources and boosting of development and investment in inland areas to reinforce the balance between the different regions of the country.


The Head of State urged the two Chambers of Parliament to highlight the commitment of all to dialogue and peaceful freedom of expression and let all the national parties share in handling the country’s issues and reject all forms of violence and overstatements .

Source: TAP