Tunisia 2009 elections: No democracy or transparency

The European Greens gathered in Malmo, Sweden deplore the fact that the last five years in Tunisia have been characterized by repeated attacks on the constitution on the pretext of reforms and revisions hallowing despotism and absolute power for more than 50 years and without any alternatives.

In the current presidential elections, the candidature of Mr Ahmed Nejib Chebbi, founder of the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) and Mr Mustapha ben Jaafar, founder and general secretary of the Democratic Forum Party have been refused and invalidated.

Likewise the candidate tickets for the legislative elections of the three main recognized democratic parties: PDP, FORUM and TEJDID, were cut and reduced to regions of low population density.

The PDP has decided to boycott these elections, as 19 of the 26 candidate tickets it presented were invalidated.

And on Wednesday, October 14, the Minister of the Interior confiscated the "ETTARIK EL JADID" newspaper, issued by the ETTAJDID party.

Previously, Mr Hamma Hammami, spokesman for the Communist Workers' Party and his wife, MrsRadhiaNasraoui,presidentoftheAssociationAgainst Torturewere assaultedat the Tunis-Carthage airport.

The European Green Party wants to bring to the attention of national and international public opinion the danger Tunisia is facing as a consequence of this kind of politics characterized by a refusal to talk to the democratic opposition and the lack of respect of full rule of law.

The European Green Party also deplores the fact that the Green Party "Tunisie Verte" has not been recognized as a political party by the Authorities, and is not allowed to participate in the elections.

Download the complete resolution in PDF format here...