Tunisian central bank warns against continued economic woes

The Tunisian Central Bank has warned against the continuation of the country's economic difficulties, the official TAP news agency reported Friday. In a communique released on Thursday, the bank stressed the risks of the "aggravation of the crisis," saying that, in particular, "the room for maneuver in terms of monetary policy has become very limited." Noting that the global economic slowdown has had "negative repercussions on the main sectors of the Tunisian economy," the communique called on all economic operators in Tunisia to make sure that the new government begins to work swiftly with a view to restore trust and boost employment. It also urged the incoming government to speed up the adoption of the new state budget and finance law. The bank's statement came as Tunisia's newly elected Constituent Assembly is striving to reach an agreement on a new government amid tensions between political parties vying for power. On Thursday, thousands of protestors rallied in front of the Constituent Assembly in the capital Tunis, calling for better employment and greater social justice.