Tunisia plans to review basic material subsidies

Ministers said on Tuesday that the Tunisian government plans to review subsidies for basic goods.
Finance Minister Siham al-Baudiri told reporters that in the current economic climate, the price of government-sponsored goods is set to “increase” to 4.2 billion dinars (about 1.3 billion euros) compared to 3.2 in 2022. Billion dinars (about one billion euros) in 2021.
The minister explained that this “very high” expenditure was comparable to the budget expenditure on health and employment.

The minister estimates that by 2023 it will exceed 5 billion dinars (1.5 billion euros) as the prices of some basic commodities, such as wheat, rise.
Therefore, the minister, who presented the government’s economic reform plan with several ministers, said a gradual review was needed “to subsidize basic commodities but without the will to raise them”.
In turn, Industry and Ports Minister Nyla Nuira confirmed that the “automatic adjustment” in the prices of fuels, electricity and gas would continue.
Economy Minister Samir said the government’s economic reform plan was primarily aimed at “creating conditions for economic growth.”

He stressed that the grant reform “should take into account the purchasing power of families in need.”
The decisions of the government come within the framework of a multi-sectoral national economic reform plan and establish the “necessary” development plan for the period 2023-2025, which aims to achieve economic and financial stability in the country.