ANKARA
Tunisia, where the Arab spring sparked, is to hold both legislative and presidential elections on schedule, before the end of 2014, the leader of Tunisia's Islamist Ennahdha Movement said during his visit to Ankara on Tuesday.
Leader of Ennahdha Movement, Rached Al-Ghannouchi told Anadolu Agency (AA) that Tunisia has succeeded in reaching a national consensus that has resulted "in writing a great constitution that merges the values of Islam and the values of democracy and a government based on national consensus."
"Tunisia is moving ahead to organize free and fair elections before the end of 2014," said Al-Ghannouchi.
The Tunisian Constituent Assembly (parliament) on Tuesday approved a number of articles of the draft electoral law which sets the terms for the running of the presidency of the Republic.
With regards to the country's struggling economic situation, the Ennahdha leader denounced news that the country is heading towards bankruptcy, saying: "Tunisia is not a bankrupt state and it won't be it, God willing."
He said that the economic difficulties Tunisia is experiencing are the result of a "legacy of the previous dictatorial regime that ruined not only the economy but also politics and morality," and added that the country is preparing a national dialogue to address the economic problems of the country.
Despite political tension, two assassinations, economic turmoil and terrorist attacks, Tunisia managed to ratify a new, progressive constitution on January 26.
englishnews@aa.com.tr
