Tunisian Parties: “Algeria invited Ghannouchi, Essebsi and sidelined Marzouki”

The recent visits to Algeria by the leader of the Annahda party, Rachid Ghannouchi and the leader of the Nidaa Tounes movement, Caid Essebsi have sparked off adverse reactions among Tunisian opposition circles.

Several Tunisian opposition party leaders hit out against what they called “Algeria’s meddling in Tunisia’s internal affairs” despite the historic and brotherly links existing between the two neighbouring countries.

In a statement to Echorouk, the Tunisian workers’ party spokesman harshly castigated the visits to Algeria by Ghannouchi and Essebsi stressing such an initiative patently came from the Algerian side in the light of the worrying developments unfolding in Tunisia.

He said that Tunisia wasn’t in need of an external country to manage its own affairs adding that the ruling Annahda party should find appropriate solutions to Tunisia’s political woes with no foreign involvement.

In a bid to ease the runaway tension, the Tunisian Presidency of the Republic issued Thursday a communiqué saying that Algeria was concerned by Tunisia’s welfare and stability and was ready to extend necessary assistance to Tunisia in the fight against terrorism.

The communiqué added that such a brotherly assistance didn’t imply at all an Algerian interference in Tunisia’s domestic affairs.

Mr Beji Caid Essebsi, leader of major opposition party Nidaa Tounes, met with Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika in Algiers Wednesday.

Essebsi’s visit comes a day after Rached Ghannouchi, leader of Tunisia’s ruling Ennahdha party, met with Pt Bouteflika.

During the visit, both parties discussed “the current problems of the region, and the reality of the current crisis in Tunisia,” Nidaa Tounes spokesperson Lazher Akermi told reporters

He said that Ghannouchi and Essebsi did not meet in Algeria, and it was unclear if the two political leaders were in the country at the same time.

Akermi denied that Algeria was acting as a mediator between Tunisia’s opposing political parties.

“There is no Algerian mediation,” Akermi said “it’s an exchange of views.”

The visit mainly focused on “listening to Algeria’s views regarding different issues,” especially because “Algeria has an important role in relation to regional security,” he added.

Both countries are facing security threats as terrorist groups operating on and around Tunisia’s Chaambi mountain near the Algerian border have carried out attacks in the region killing eight Tunisian soldiers in late July.

In response to the attacks on Chaambi mountain, the two neighboring countries have cooperated in military operations along their common border.