Tunisian President Kais Saied has fired Economy Minister Samir Saied , following further assertions that an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was essential for receiving other foreign loans.
The president fiercely rejects what he calls the IMF’s mandates, claiming that the IMF is “not sacred” and that its requirements will spark riots.
The minister told a news agency that “lenders are curious about Tunisia’s talks with the IMF,” adding that “any deal would send a strong signal to the rest of the financiers.”
Tunisia secured a staff-level agreement with the IMF last year for a $1.9 billion loan, but it has already missed major promises, and donors feel the state’s finances are diverging from the data on which the accord was based.
The president condemned the minister’s previous statements, stressing that the government was in charge of carrying out the president’s agenda.
The president delegated temporary control of the economy to Finance Minister Sihem Boughdiri.
According to a document on its budget released on Tuesday, Tunisia aims to increase taxes on banks, hotels, and liquor companies while maintaining nearly the same subsidies for food, fuel, and energy.
The country expects its economy to grow by 2.1% in 2024, up from 0.9% in 2023.
There was no mention of an agreement with the IMF in the measure.
