After the presentation in Tunis of a transitional government, three days after the leak of former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi faced criticism from opponents who believe that the new cabinet gives too room for executives of the former regime. The ministers who served under Ben Ali and have been maintained have always acted to "preserve the national interest," Mr.Ghannouchi was justified on French radio Europe 1, Tuesday, January 18. "They kept their wallets because we need them in this phase" of building democracy, with preparations for elections within six months, said the head of government, stressing the "great security challenge" in this transition period.
"All have clean hands, (...) great skill. They have merit. Through their dedication, they have managed to reduce the ability of some nuisance. They have maneuvered, dithered, gained time to preserve national interest, "he said. Monday afternoon, Mohammed Ghannouchi, leader of the last government of President Ben Ali on the run, presented a government of national union of twenty-four members, including three heads of the legal opposition, eight former government ministers, including the Ministers of Interior and Foreign Affairs, and representatives of civil society.
Ben Ali, who ruled with an iron fist for twenty-three years, fled his country on Friday after months of protests quelled and who were 78 deaths, according to the latest official toll. "All those who were behind this massacre will be accountable to justice," said the prime minister, assuring himself had never given orders to fire live bullets at demonstrators.
Referring to the electoral process, Mohammed Ghannouchi assured that "all political parties will be allowed to participate in elections on equal footing." But the leader of the Islamist Ennahdha ("Renaissance", banned under Ben Ali) Rached Ghannouchi, in exile in London, will return to Tunisia that "if an amnesty law" erasing his heavy prison sentence to life in 1991, he said.
Tunisians have appealed on Tuesday to protest against the Internet a "unity government" where the outgoing team of Ben Ali retained the sovereign positions. "The dictator has fallen, not dictatorship!" Could be read for example on Facebook. Messages called to demonstrate in the morning in Tunis, but also in the provinces, in Sousse in the region of the former dictator, and Sfax, the second largest city.
Other messages on the Internet called the demonstrations to stop but to provide an opportunity for the new government to restore order and take time to know his real intentions. After a calm night, marked by a brief shootout in downtown Tunis again swarming with shoppers and vehicles on Tuesday morning.
Many policemen were deployed in anticipation of protests.
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