Quartet meets with Tunisian PM

The national dialogue,which will resume on Wednesday afternoon, will address outstanding issues, including the electoral law and a date for next elections, Secretary-General of the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) Houcine Abassi said He told TAP news agency, following a meeting on Tuesday that brought together interim Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa and representatives of sponsor organisations, that reconsidering appointments and dissolving leagues of protection of the Revolution were debated. The neutrality of mosques and the general situation in the country, particularly as regards security, were also under focus, he indicated. The current government is resolute to put into effect the provisions of the roadmap, Abassi underlined. Jomaa renewed on many occasions the pledge to abide by the terms of the roadmap regarding the governmental, constituent and electoral processes, he reminded. Abassi said the government had already started rethinking appointments and initiating legal proceedings so as to dissolve the leagues of the protection of the Revolution. A law on mosque neutrality was also drafted, he added. The UGTT S-G called on the deputies of the National Constituent Assembly to speed up the adoption of the electoral law given the general situation in the country, he said, which does not cope with a delay of the election beyond the current year. Besides, Abassi underlined that the Independent Higher Authority for the Election will not be able to set a date for the next elections as long as the electoral law lacks. He specified that the quartet is ready to support the NCA action and strives for the rapprochement of views to reach consensus on the key points of divergence. Abassi emphasised the need to adopt an electoral law in two weeks time, he said, to be able to give a positive signal to Tunisian people and the international community and pave the way for the investors' flow.