21/04/2011 President
Strasbourg, 21.04.2011 – The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and the leaders of the Assembly’s five political groups have saluted the Tunisian people’s determination to build “a genuine democratic society based on universal values”. Speaking at the end of a visit to Tunisia by PACE’s Presidential Committee, they said the government and people were managing the transition well, leading the way for other countries in the region.
They also welcomed the creation of a series of commissions to prepare the democratic transition which were established on the basis of a wide agreement between political forces, NGOs and experts.
It is the task of these structures – in particular the High Commission for the Achievement of the Goals of the Revolution, for Political Reform and Democratic Transition – to prepare the establishment of future democratic institutions, the European politicians said: “The political actors must not fail the people’s expectations with regard to democracy and economic and social progress. As the Tunisian Prime Minister said during our meeting, you can’t vote well if you don’t eat enough.”
A key priority was to organise elections to the Constituent Assembly in compliance with the highest democratic standards: “The Council of Europe and the Venice Commission has great experience in accompanying democratic transformations in transition countries, and we encourage you to use this expertise fully,” the European politicians said. The Constituent Assembly should in turn enact a new Constitution which had the widest possible agreement, leading to free and fair parliamentary elections and further reforms.
PACE would do all it could to support these changes, they added, and was ready to observe the forthcoming elections. It also fully supported the Venice Commission’s plans to assist with the elections, including training electoral officials. They again encouraged Tunisia’s parliament to apply for “Partnership for democracy” status with the Assembly once the necessary democratic mechanisms were in place.
The Presidential Committee, which brings together the leaders of the Assembly’s five political groups as well as its President and Secretary General, met Tunisia’s President, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, as well as leading members of the commissions preparing reform and NGO representatives.