In the northwestern town of Sakiet Sidi Youssef near the border with Algeria, people gathered to protest and demand the solution to the issue of unemployment as well as to develop the country's areas on borders that are in a difficult economic situation.
In El Kef, unemployed people came out onto the streets demanding to provide jobs, while young people in the country's Kasserine Governorate and the capital city of Tunis held protests against increases in fuel prices and taxes.
#Protests and clashes reported in 18 locations in #Tunisia in the last 48 hours.
— Matt Herbert (@mherbe01) 9 января 2018 г.
While some have occurred in and around Greater #Tunis and on the coast, most are in the center and west of the country. pic.twitter.com/Em6d1mupDS
The local Nessma TV channel reported on Monday, citing the Tunisian Health Ministry, that one person was killed during protests in the northern town of Tebourba. The broadcaster also noted, citing a source, that five security officers were injured.
Overnight, protests occurred in Douz, in #Tunisia's Kebili Governorate. Demonstrators closed the road from Douz to Kebili with tires and clashed with security forces. A security officer was injured by the rock throwing. https://t.co/nkKYqrchxN pic.twitter.com/HhuUQ3Rk3w
— Matt Herbert (@mherbe01) 9 января 2018 г.
Anti-austerity protests in Tunisia turn deadly https://t.co/UPCDrRFr5F pic.twitter.com/26dNuEnrXy
— Bashiir Ali Mohamud (@bashirbarim) 9 января 2018 г.
Tunisia: 1 Dead in Violent Protests over Tax Hikes, Unemployment https://t.co/n0NecUPvmO pic.twitter.com/dTHaiyohU7
— NewsBreakers (@NewsbreakersNG) 9 января 2018 г.
On January 5, during a meeting with political parties and trade unions, Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi called on the country's citizens to show patience and preserve stability as such fiscal measures were necessary to restore the financial balance of the state budget as well as to attract foreign investments.
In December, the Tunisian parliament approved the 2018 budget, which raised taxes on hotel accommodation, cars, alcohol, phone calls, the internet as well as custom taxes on some products imported from abroad.
