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Chahed: Accusing government of corruption or putsch is only defamatory attempt that will not affect its work in any way

Published the:  05/04/2019

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(TAP) – Prime Minister Youssef Chahed, said on Friday that his government is fighting corruption vigorously. "Accusing him of corruption or putsch is only a defamatory attempt that will in no way affect the work of the government team.

"Anyone who has corruption cases only has to bring them to justice," he added in a statement to media on the occasion of the opening of the 35th edition of the International Book Fair.

Youssef Chahed also pointed out that it was the government, the initiator of the law on the declaration of assets and the fight against illicit enrichment and conflicts of interest, which brought hundreds of corruption cases before the courts.

"Those who accuse the government of corruption use the fight against this scourge as a business. But the government has pulled the rug from under their feet, by seriously addressing this task.

Several deputies, representing the opposition, gave a press conference on Thursday during the hearing session of the Prime Minister Youssef Chahed.

They accused the Prime Minister of concealing acts of corruption and manipulating this case to blackmail suspected corrupt individuals. They also accuse him of using state apparatus to threaten whistleblowers, believing that the government has taken advantage of the state of emergency law in this respect.

MP Samia Abbou (Democratic Group) noted during the conference that the Prime Minister declared war on corruption in an attempt to manipulate this issue, using the state of emergency and house arrest to blackmail several people suspected of being involved in corruption cases.

She deplored the fact that the anti-corruption commission set up by Chahed includes among its members persons suspected of being involved in nearly 14 corruption cases.

According to her, it would have been more appropriate to activate the High Council for the Fight against Corruption created in 2012, insisting on the independence of the judiciary.

For his part, MP Mourad Hmaidi (Popular Front) referred to the violations revealed by the inspection mission carried out by the General Financial Control and Relations Authority, noting that instead of being tried, customs officials prosecuted for corruption have been promoted in their careers