Tunisia's Finance and Budget Committee has decided to hold a hearing with Finance Minister to discuss the reasons behind the delay in providing the committee with reports and data on the state's budget implementation, particularly for the first half of 2026. The committee will also discuss the assumptions used to prepare the 2027 finance bill and the respect for legal deadlines and procedures related to the transmission of necessary documents and data.
The committee expressed concern over the lack of data on the state's budget implementation for the first half of 2026 and the non-transmission of assumptions used to prepare the 2027 finance bill. The committee's chairman, Maher Ktari, emphasized that the committee's oversight and legislative tasks require access to data and documents related to the state's budget implementation and the preparation of the finance bill within legal deadlines.
The committee also discussed the suspension of two draft laws on the closure of the state's budget for 2022 and 2023 due to issues related to their non-compliance with the budget's accounting system. The committee stressed the need to address this issue to ensure the clarity of the legal framework and the regularity of procedures.
The committee's members also called for the government to control and rationalize state budget expenditures, while emphasizing the need to avoid increasing the tax burden on individuals and companies. They also invited the government to adopt realistic and informed assumptions when preparing the 2027 finance bill, based on available economic data and updated indicators.
The committee decided to hold a hearing with the CEO of the Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company to discuss the country's energy situation, energy costs, and their impact on public finances and the economy. The committee will also hold a hearing with the CEO of the National Company for Water Exploitation and Distribution to discuss issues related to water supply disruptions and the measures taken to address them.
The committee's discussions also focused on the impact of rising oil prices on the state's budget assumptions and the need to assess their impact on budget resources and expenditures. The committee called for the preparation of proposals related to the finance bill and the strengthening of coordination between them to ensure their coherence and feasibility.
The Finance and Budget Committee's decisions aim to ensure the transparency and oversight of the state's budget implementation and the preparation of the 2027 finance bill. The committee's hearings with the Finance Minister and other stakeholders will help to shed light on the current situation and ensure that the state's budget is managed in a responsible and sustainable manner.
Key points
- The Finance Committee will discuss the delay in providing reports on the state's budget implementation and the assumptions used to prepare the 2027 finance bill.
