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Inter-region travel between on Eid al-Fitr strictly forbidden, says Interior Minister

Published the:  21/05/2020

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(TAP) - Travel between governorates on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr is strictly forbidden, Interior Minister Hichem Méchichi cautioned Thursday, suggesting that sanctions will be taken against any offender.

"Anyone attempting to travel from one governorate to another will be turned back by security patrols," he warned at a press conference in Kasbah to present the second phase of the targeted lockdown plan.

Force majeure, emergencies that pose an immediate risk of serious harm to health and life and individuals with specific authorisations to travel will be excluded from that measure.

"The old travel authorisations granted to citizens to move to their work places are no longer valid during the Eid day," the Minister said.

According to Mechichi, the measure restricting travel between governorates as part of the national effort to control the new coronavirus will also be applied after Eid day, pending the improvement of the epidemiological situation in the country.

The minister said that "travel within Greater Tunis is a priori allowed".

Méchichi stressed that the "relative" success recorded in the fight against the pandemic is essentially due to the preventive measures taken and the cooperation of all parties, adding that the next stage will see a gradual resumption of economic activities.

Furthermore, the Minister indicated that in parallel with the efforts to combat the epidemic (total lockdown and curfew), efforts are being made to strengthen the fight against terrorism and ensure border security.

Painful strikes have been carried out against terrorists," he said, "but they call for the utmost vigilance since there is no such thing as zero risks anywhere