Tunisia: President sacks country’s Paris, Milan consuls, orders audits

Kais Saied has terminated the diplomatic jobs of Tunisia’s consuls in Paris and Milan and ordered a financial audit of the missions, his office announced on Sunday.

The statement said Taher Arbaoui who had been running the country’s consulate in Paris will be replaced by Ridha Gharsalaoui.

Adel Ben Abdallah on the other hand will be replaced in Milan by Khalil Jendoubi.

The statement added that the President of the North African country also “instructed the foreign ministry to proceed with an in-depth financial and administrative check” at both consulates.

Gharsaloui is close to the Tunisian leader and was appointed interior minister on July 29, few days after President Saied seized on July 25 all major powers; sacked then Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi, suspended the parliament and took control of the judiciary.

Critics condemned the move and branded it a coup while Saied argued that he acted to end chaos and to restore the country.

The new sackings come following a previous statement by the presidency that 10 ambassadors, including those positioned in Berlin, Ankara, Beijing and Doha, and six consuls are completing their missions, a move formalizing the end of their terms in August.

Following his July move, the Tunisian President  has sacked dozens of state officials.