The High Authority for the Achievement of the Revolution Objectives, Political Reform and Democratic Transition was not able to resolve the problem posed by the proposal made by the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) on parties’ financing by legal persons.

PDP representatives Mongi Ellouz and Issam Chebbi joined once again the High Authority after pulling out from it on Wednesday so as to participate in Thursday’s plenary session works.

Chairman of the High Authority Yadh Ben Achour suggested setting up a committee that would have one week to reach a consensual solution on the issue and submit it to the High Authority’s works next Wednesday.

The controversy lies in the amendment of Article 18 of Chapter 3 of the draft decree-law on financial provisions in organising political parties regarding their funding by legal persons.

The two PDP representatives threatened to pullout again from the High Authority in protest against some interventions which argued that funding of parties by legal persons would turn them into “a place of money laundering.”

PDP representative Issam Chebbi told TAP news agency that “our decision to return, on Thursday morning, to the High Authority was based on introducing an adjustment rather than adopting, through a simple vote, our party’s proposal,” considering that banning parties’ funding by legal persons stems from ” a communist ideology, away from any logic of democracy.”

Representative of Ettajdid Movement Samir Bettaieb supported the suggestion of the PDP, saying that his party ” voted, on the eve, for the draft decree-law on the organisation of parties on the basis of the suggestion of the PDP.”

Several representatives of regions, particularly  Fadhel Ben Tahar and Youssef Salhi, called for amending the draft and relying only on public funding of parties and nothing more.

The High Authority made a statement on the recent events in several regions nationwide. It called on the Caretaker Government to step up efforts to speed up the reform of the security and judiciary systems as an essential condition to achieve the hoped-for democratic transition.

Source: TAP