Tunisia summons European Union envoy over alleged protocol breach

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TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Tunisian President Kais Saied summoned the European Union’s ambassador to convey “a firmly toned protest” over a perceived breach of diplomatic protocol, Tunisia's presidency said Wednesday.

The summons came after EU Ambassador Giuseppe Perrone met with the heads of Tunisia's influential UGTT labor union and main employers’ union UTICA. The two unions won the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize along with two other Tunisian organizations for laying the groundwork for the North African country's new democracy.

The Tunisian president’s office said in a statement that Saied reminded the ambassador that accredited envoys are expected to respect Tunisia’s sovereignty and follow official channels in their contacts. The statement did not specify what prompted the reprimand.

European Commission spokesperson Anouar el-Anouni said Wednesday the EU ″takes note of the messages transmitted by President Saied″ to the ambassador.

″It is normal ... for diplomats to have dialogue with a broad range of interlocutors,″ el-Anouni said. ″That includes members of civil society, who can greatly contribute to reinforcing bilateral cooperation and improve the quality of dialogue.″ He noted the Nobel honors.

In recent weeks, Tunisia has faced growing protests across the country, as doctors, activists and regular citizens raise demands for more social justice. Tunisia is also seeing an escalating clampdown on rights and freedoms under Saied, which he frames as a war against corruption and perceived national security threats.

Saied has increasingly strained relations with major civil-society groups and conventional labor partners.

The EU ambassador met this week with UGTT leader Noureddine Taboubi to mark 30 years of EU-Tunisia cooperation. According to a readout from UGTT’s Echaab newspaper, Perrone visited the union’s headquarters and praised the organization’s role in social dialogue and economic development. Taboubi used the meeting to call for deeper cooperation, notably regarding employment, professional training and economic reforms.

Last week, Perrone met with UTICA leader Samir Majoul to discuss economic ties and challenges facing Tunisian industries.

Both groups are considered key players in Tunisian society and have been at the center of national dialogue efforts since the 2011 Arab Spring uprising.