Tunisian President Kais Saied said he rejects foreign advice on the economy that would cause further poverty, adding to speculation over his support for an International Monetary Fund package the cash-strapped country has been trying to secure.
(Bloomberg) — Tunisian President Kais Saied said he rejects foreign advice on the economy that would cause further poverty, adding to speculation over his support for an International Monetary Fund package the cash-strapped country has been trying to secure.
“Regarding the IMF, the diktats that come from abroad and cause only more impoverishment are rejected,” Saied told reporters Thursday in a briefing aired by local media. “The alternative is that we must rely on ourselves.”
Tunisia and the IMF reached a staff-level agreement in October for a four-year, $1.9 billion loan, although the deal has yet to be approved.
Saied also questioned how state subsidies could be removed without inflaming unrest, saying “social peace is not a toy.”
“They want us to listen to their talk,” he added. “We won’t listen to anyone except God and the voice of the people.”
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