Tunisian legal professionals protest tax hike on authorized companies

Songs and slogans to specific their discontent. Dozens of Tunisian legal professionals gathered exterior the capital’s Legislation Courts in addition to different websites, Thursday (Jan. 05).

They protested newly imposed taxes on authorized companies stated to hit the toughest customers from deprived backgrounds.

Among the many insurance policies contested by the Bar Affiliation, is a hike in taxes on authorized charges, from 13 to 19 p.c.

“Right this moment is a day of anger. We are going to put on a [red] armband all day,” the pinnacle of the Bar Affiliation, Hatem Mziou, stated.

“There’s a sit-in from 9 to 11 AM. Nonetheless, we refuse to hinder the pursuits of the residents. So, we did not go on strike at the moment and that is not our goal. We’ll proceed protesting if our calls for, such because the modification of [the law imposing taxes on legal services] are usually not met; in addition to, the 50-point proposal that we’ve got offered to the Finance Ministry.”

The measure is a part of the 2023 price range offered final week in search of to claw the North African nation’s deficit again to close 5 p.c of its GDP, because it awaits an IMF bailout.

The Bar Affiliation vowed to struggle within the face of what it referred to as “assaults on rights and liberties”.

The price range annoucement comes at a time when Tunisia is mired in an financial disaster that has brought on repeated shortages of important items in addition to spiralling inflation.