- Title: Tunisian lawyers voice concern as tension over austerity budget mounts
- Date: 24th November 2016
- Summary: TUNIS, TUNISIA (NOVEMBER 23, 2016) (REUTERS) PARLIAMENT BUILDING WITH LAWYERS STANDING LAWYER WITH TUNISIAN FLAG ON SHOULDERS MARBLE PLACARD ON WALL READING IN (Arabic): "PARLIAMENT" VARIOUS OF LAWYERS STANDING OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT BARBED WIRE WITH SIGN IN BACKGROUND READING IN (Arabic): "TAX ON PETROL IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN TAX ON LAWYERS” (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LAWYER, SAMIRA ROUIS, SAYING: "For poor people who go on trial, lawyers don't charge them. The same for friends and family trials, the lawyers do the job but don't get paid, because of the humane side of it, the friendships, family relations, etc. If this draft passes, the lawyer will need to pay fees from his own personal money to the tax administration. Because, we will use the Tax ID for the fee of lawyers and we will have to pay a lump sum for each case." LAWYERS STANDING OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LAWYER, HEND FEKIH, SAYING: "For example, in an employment case. Someone who was fired cannot pay before winning, we cannot ask him to give advance payment. He will just pay the convocation and administrative fees, nothing else. The attorney fees are paid, once the trial is done and we did not lose. But most of the cases we cannot get paid. There are amounts… there are companies that go bankrupt there is no way we can get our money back, even if we win. In all cases, I have to pay the tax administration, to pay taxes for amounts I did not get, because of a tax stamp." TUNISIA FLAG (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LAWYER, SAMIRA ROUIS, SAYING: "We are Tunisians and it's our duty to pay taxes and contribute to the state budget, but on an important constitutional basis which is equality. In contrast, it's unacceptable to pay more taxes instead of people who carry out tax evasion." LAWYERS STANDING BY BARRIERS
- Embargoed: 9th December 2016 15:29
- Keywords: Tunisia lawyers protest strike budget austerity
- Location: TUNIS, TUNISIA
- City: TUNIS, TUNISIA
- Country: Tunisia
- Topics: Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA00159T00NP
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Tunisian lawyers staged their second strike in a month to protest against new taxes and tighter fiscal controls in the government's proposed budget for next year.
Wednesday's (November 23) walkout put pressure on a government already under fire over planned austerity measures including a public sector wage freeze, higher company taxes and new taxes for the liberal professions such as law, medicine and engineering.
It comes ahead of an important international investment conference in Tunis next week, during which the teachers union said it is also planning a major protest.
The parliament chairman received a delegation of lawyers to discuss their demands. Lawyers said their colleagues in other cities around the country also went out on strike.
Under the government proposal, all lawyers will pay a tax ranging from about $8 to $25 on each file they present to court.
But lawyers on strike argue that this will mean sometimes they'll have to pay from their own pockets.
"For poor people who go on trial, lawyers don't charge them. The same for friends and family trials, the lawyers do the job but don't get paid, because of the humane side of it, the friendships, family relations, etc. If this draft passes the lawyer will need to pay fees from his own personal money to tax administration. Because, we will use the Tax ID for the fee of lawyers and we will have to pay a lump sum for each case," said lawyer Samira Rouis.
"For example, in an employment case. Someone who was fired can not pay before winning, we cannot ask him to give advance payment. He will just pay the convocation and administrative fees, nothing else. The attorney fees are paid, once the trial is done and we did not lose. But most of the cases we can not get paid. There are amounts… there are companies that go bankrupt there is no way we can get our money back, even if we win. In all cases, I have to pay the tax administration, to pay taxes for amounts I did not get, because of Tax stamp, which is illegal," added lawyer Hend Fekih.
Tension over the budget comes as Tunisia prepares to hold an international conference in which it will offer $50 billion worth of projects to foreign leaders and investors.
The powerful UGTT labour union has threatened to hold a general strike and has called for protests against plans to freeze public wage increases.
The UTICA industry and business employers' association, one of Tunisia's major economic lobbying groups, has also rejected a proposed exceptional tax contribution on business.
Tunisia has been praised for its democratic progress since ousting strongman Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali in a 2011 uprising.
But many Tunisians worry that taxes and austerity measures will exacerbate the economic difficulties they have experienced since then.
Under pressure from international lenders for reforms to cut spending, spur growth and create jobs, Prime Minister Youssef Chahed has proposed a broad package of initiatives, but he must also manage social unrest that the measures may trigger.
Tunisia expects to seek $2.78 billion in foreign loans next year - nearly double its 2016 external financing needs - to help cover a 2017 fiscal deficit projected to be 5.4 percent of GDP. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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