Tunisia's President Kais Saied on Thursday proposed taxing the North African country's wealthiest citizens as a way of avoiding what he has called the "diktats" of the International Monetary Fund. Saied said during a meeting with Prime Minister Najla Bouden that the current subsidy system benefits all Tunisians, including the wealthy, a presidency statement said. "Instead of lifting subsidies in the name of rationalisation, it would be possible to introduce additional taxes on those who benefit from them without needing them," Saied added. He said he believed such a mechanism would mean the country would not have to bow down to "foreign diktats". The IMF has called for legislation to restructure more than 100 state-owned firms, which hold monopolies over many parts of the economy and in many cases are heavily indebted.

Source: The North Africa Journal June 02, 2023 10:40 UTC