Political disputes are expected to deepen between the Tunisian president, prime minister and parliament speaker in wake of the revelation that the presidency had secretly obtained a coronavirus vaccine shipment that it sent to the military.
President Kais Saied did not inform the premiership of the shipment even though the government is in charge of the Health Ministry, which in turn is responsible for the vaccine rollout in the country.
Outraged lawmakers slammed the revelation, dubbing it “coronagate.”
Several opposition MPs blew the lid off the shipment, accusing authorities of providing jabs to senior politicians and security officials.
Sources from the presidency confirmed the shipment, saying some 1,000 doses had indeed been delivered to the country.
The shipment, they added, was offered by the United Arab Emirates and dedicated to the military health institution.
The sources denied that the doses were granted to anyone in the presidency, including Saied and members of his family.
The prime minister’s office announced that it would immediately launch an investigation into the shipment, saying that it was not informed that any vaccinations have arrived in Tunisia.
The national committee tasked with fighting the pandemic alone is responsible for the national inoculation drive, it stressed.
Meanwhile, the parliament’s office vehemently refuted rumors that Speaker Rached al-Ghannouchi had received the COVID-19 vaccine.
It said that it was committed to the state policy on vaccination and who should be given priority to receive the jab.