Tunisian President Kais Saied has indicated plans for a looming crackdown on corruption in the country, days after he seized control of the government by sacking the prime minister and several cabinet members, and suspending the parliament.
On Sunday, President Saied acted on an article in the constitution that gives him temporary exceptional powers in times of a crisis, but his political opponents described the move as a constitutional coup.
The president’s plans to tackle outstanding cases of corruption were mentioned during a meeting with the head of the country’s main business union.
He said hundreds of businesspeople had stolen nearly $5bn (£3.5bn) in state funds through fraud and unpaid taxes.
President Saied says he will offer conditional amnesty to these business people in exchange for their investment in development projects chosen by citizen-based regional commissions.
