TUNIS, October 24. (ITAR-TASS). — The Tunisian government is ready to step down to fulfill the conditions of the road map designed for resolving the political crisis in the country. This was announced on Wednesday by Prime Minister Ali Laarayedh. However, the prime minister did not give the expected firm pledge to do this, and this was the main demand of the opposition to start talks with the Islamists. Thus, the ‘national dialogue’ to resolve the political crisis has not yet begun.
According to the road map previously approved by the parties, within a month after the start of the ‘national dialogue’ the Islamists and the opposition should form a government of non-partisan technocrats. In addition, it is assumed that during this period a new constitution would be drafted and the date for a general election would be set.
On Wednesday, several thousand opposition supporters gathered for an anti-government rally in the center of the Tunisian capital on Habib Bourguiba Avenue. Meanwhile, a protest rally was held at the Kasbah area, near the government’s headquarters.
The situation in Tunisia remains tense. In his speech, Laarayedh confirmed that six soldiers of the National Guard of Tunisia were killed in clashes with an armed terrorist group. The incident took place in the province of Sidi Bouzid in the central part of the country.
Three days of mourning were declared in the country in connection with the deaths of servicemen.