An Italian official renewed his political warnings about the possibility of China and Russia taking advantage of the financial situation in Tunisia and the delay of Western countries in providing the necessary aid and financing to be present in Tunisia.
Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Taiani said in statements to a local radio station about “the need for a political and financial presence for the United States and Europe in Tunisia, which is suffering from a difficult economic situation.”
“It is a mistake that the West should not make, and I also reported it to US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken,” Taiani added, adding, “We must not leave Tunisia in Russian or Chinese hands,” referring to the stalled negotiations between the Tunisian authorities and the IMF.
The Italian minister reaffirmed that Rome is making a great effort to provide financial support to Tunisia: “Italy is doing everything in its power to free financing for Tunisia from the International Monetary Fund to avoid a financial crisis.”
He revealed a proposal submitted by his country to the European Union, the International Monetary Fund, and the United States related to “immediately disbursing a first installment of the $1.9 billion loan and moving forward with the second and third installments based on the reforms that Tunisia will implement.”