Tunisia PM to announce new Government
TUNESIA: Tunisia’s Prime Minister promised to announce a new
coalition Government yesterday, hoping to maintain the momentum of
political progress to ward off fresh protests and also undercut gunmen
loyal to the ousted president.
Tunisian special forces fought a gun battle with the ousted
President’s security force near the presidential palace on Sunday, a
military source said, two days after Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was ousted
after more than 23 years as president.
But Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi promised rapid action to fill
the power vacuum.
“Tomorrow we will announce the new government which will open a new
page in the history of Tunisia,” he said in a brief statement on Sunday.
Three opposition leaders would take posts in the new coalition, two
sources close to negotiations on building the new government told
Reuters. But the interior and foreign ministers in the old
administration will keep their jobs.
While die-hard Ben Ali loyalists fought the army at the presidential
palace, elsewhere two gunmen stationed on a rooftop near the central
bank were killed by fire from a helicopter.
Tanks were stationed around the capital, Tunis, and soldiers guarded
public buildings.
Tunis, Monday, Reuters |