Tunisia’s Opposition Rejects Agreements with Turkey, Qatar

The Assembly of People's Representatives meets in Tunis, Tunisia February 26, 2020. REUTERS/Zoubeir Souissi
The Assembly of People's Representatives meets in Tunis, Tunisia February 26, 2020. REUTERS/Zoubeir Souissi
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Tunisia’s Opposition Rejects Agreements with Turkey, Qatar

The Assembly of People's Representatives meets in Tunis, Tunisia February 26, 2020. REUTERS/Zoubeir Souissi
The Assembly of People's Representatives meets in Tunis, Tunisia February 26, 2020. REUTERS/Zoubeir Souissi

Tunisia’s parliament has postponed a two-day plenary session that was scheduled to be held on Wednesday to review a set of draft agreements, in a sign of deep differences among parliamentary blocs over two deals with Turkey and Qatar.

Abir Moussa’s opposition Free Constitutional Party and Youssef Chahed’s Long Live Tunes (Tahya Tounes) have opposed these agreements.

The parliament said the postponement of the session, which was set to be attended by the government, was caused by urgent obligations by the ministers involved in striking both agreements, which it said will be discussed in subsequent sessions.

The first agreement with Qatar allows opening a Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) office in Tunis, while the deal with Turkey calls for protecting and encouraging bilateral investment.

“Parliament Speaker Rashid Ghannouchi is exploiting the coronavirus crisis to pass these draft agreements with Qatar and Turkey and impose the hegemony of the Turkish-Qatari alliance on Tunisia,” Moussa told a press conference.

Moussa said she resorted to the administrative court, which considers cases of law breaching and abuse of power.

“I filed a case against this abuse of power and requested the suspension of the decision to refer these draft agreements to the parliament’s plenary session,” she told reporters.

She sent a letter to the Prime Minister in which she noted that these agreements affect Tunisia’s sovereignty, independence and its national economic system.

“They would turn Tunisia into a platform to serve foreign agendas.”

Moussa also requested reviewing all the agreements concluded by previous governments and not yet discussed by parliament, stressing that all deals not serving Tunisia’s interests will not be approved by lawmakers.

Meanwhile, the Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT) has warned against exploiting the exceptional circumstances to pass draft agreements struck with other countries.

It said deals that don’t serve Tunisia's interests and affect future generations would be faced by popular rejection.

Long Live Tunes official Mabrouk Korchid expressed concern over the agreement with Turkey.

He said it would allow Turkish nationals to own farmlands in Tunisia despite a law dating back to 1964 prohibiting foreigners from owning farmland in the country.

“Such agreements violate national sovereignty, and approving them is considered a state crime,” Korchid stressed.

The official also revealed that several MPs have expressed reservations over the agreement with Qatar, especially that the “QFFD is suspected to be financing associations with links to terrorist organizations.”



Egypt Rescues 28 People in Tourist Yacht Sinking in Red Sea

Sea Story had no technical problems, obtained all required permits prior to the trip, and was last checked for naval safety in March. (Red Sea Governorate on Facebook)
Sea Story had no technical problems, obtained all required permits prior to the trip, and was last checked for naval safety in March. (Red Sea Governorate on Facebook)
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Egypt Rescues 28 People in Tourist Yacht Sinking in Red Sea

Sea Story had no technical problems, obtained all required permits prior to the trip, and was last checked for naval safety in March. (Red Sea Governorate on Facebook)
Sea Story had no technical problems, obtained all required permits prior to the trip, and was last checked for naval safety in March. (Red Sea Governorate on Facebook)

A tourist yacht sank in the Red Sea on Monday after warnings of rough waters and 16 people were missing, Egyptian officials said.

The governor of the Red Sea region, Amr Hanafy, said rescuers saved 28 people from the vessel south of the coastal town of Marsa Alam, and some were airlifted to receive medical treatment.

Hanafy visited the site where the vessel sank, according to a Red Sea Governorate update on Facebook. A total of 44 people were on board the yacht, including 13 Egyptians, who include crew members, and 31 foreign nationals from the United States, Germany, United Kingdom, Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, Finland, China, Slovakia, Spain, and Ireland.

The governor confirmed that rescuers were still searching for the missing, including four Egyptians and 12 foreigners. Meanwhile, those who survived suffered only bruises and abrasions and were taken to a hotel in Marsa Alam in good condition.

The Egyptian military was coordinating rescue operations with the governorate.

The boat, named Sea Story, had no technical problems, obtained all required permits prior to the trip, and was last checked for naval safety in March, according to officials.

Preliminary reports, based on statements from the yacht crew and tourists, said a large wave crashed into the boat, causing it to capsize, according to the governorate’s update. Some of the passengers were inside the cabins when the incident unfolded within minutes, according to the statements.

The UK Foreign Office said it was providing consular support to “a number of British nationals and their families” after the sinking.

Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs also told The Associated Press in an email that it is “aware of this incident and is providing consular assistance” without revealing further details.

Meanwhile, Spain’s Foreign Ministry said it was not aware of any Spanish nationals among the missing. The ministry said that five Spanish nationals were rescued and are out of danger.

The governorate received a report shortly before dawn Monday of a distress call made from the yacht, which had left Marsa Alam for a five-day journey.

It was not immediately clear what caused the four-deck, wooden-hulled motorized yacht to sink. But the Egyptian Meteorological Authority on Saturday warned about turbulence and high waves on the Red Sea and advised against maritime activity for Sunday and Monday.

Meanwhile, founder of the Society for Marine Rescue and Environmental Conservation in the Red Sea Hassan al-Tayeb told Asharq Al-Awsat that the yacht likely sank because of the poor weather conditions, citing meteorological reports a day before the incident.

The vessel had set sail before the weather warnings were made.

Tayeb stressed that such accidents are uncommon and that vessels are inspected by the concerned authorities before taking any sea journey.

He did not hold anyone in Egypt responsible for tourist vessel sinkings, explaining that ultimately, the weather is out of anyone’s control.