The President of the National Bar Association of Tunisia, Hatem Mziou believed that a change in the mode of economic development required the introduction of new measures to promote investment and promote sustainable development. “Unfortunately, and with each announcement of the Finance Act, the people face a completely different reality”he said.

He believed that all the finance laws were content to increase taxes and duties. He assured that lawyers’ dissatisfaction with the draft finance law for the year 2023 (FL 2023) not concerned with decisions affecting this trade.

Invited on December 8, 2022 to the show “Problem impossible” coughed up Boren Bsaies and broadcast on the radio MFIHate them Mziou argued that the continued increase in the tax burden encouraged evasion and misdirection. The tax burden has been reached 85% in certain sectors, according to him, believing that a change must be made at this level and that thethe reduction of the tax burden encourages economic actors to indicate their income.

He warned against increasing the rate of VAT applied to lawyers and explained that the lawyers were playing the role of tax collectors since they were invoicing 13% usual VAT for customers. Its rise on a rate corresponding to 19% means that the latter must pay the amount in question.

hate Mziou stated that the lawyers were prepared to express their opposition to certain decisions. He mentioned the possibility of demonstrating in the streets, but that the order preferred the preservation of social peace. He assured that lawyers are ready for this scenario and that the legal profession will continue to defend the rights and interests of Tunisians. He mentioned exchanges with Finance Minister Sihem Nemsia who would have promised to study their proposal. The bar chairman criticized the absence of measures aimed at the parallel market and believed that LF 2023 did not seek to combat or integrate this sector into the national economy.

hate Mziou insisted on his partisan independence. He assured that he had never been part of a political structure, but insisted on the importance of the role it played. He expressed his respect for the former President of the Bar Association, Brahim Bouderbala, the Presidency of the Republic as an institution and Kaïs Said in his capacity as head of state and former professor of law. He confirmed his support for the measures announced on 25 July 2021 and believed that it was an initiative aimed at rectifying the situation. Nevertheless, he believed that the head of state made some mistakes. He believed that Kais Said could have been content with amending the 2014 constitution. He also criticized the adoption of the uninominal two-round voting, believing that this system will not allow Tunisia to get out of the crisis.

Subsequently, Hatem Mziou believed that the former president of the order, Abderrazak Kilanihad not committed a crime and that there was no need to speak of a trial. He said the Tunisian bar had to defend a former president. He also expressed his opposition to prosecuting civilians for military justice.

SG