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Protests Against Unemployment, Price Hikes Take Place in Tunisia (PHOTOS)

TUNIS (Sputnik) - Tunisians took to the streets in several cities of the country, including Sakiet Sidi Youssef and El Kef, to protest against the surge of prices and tax increases under the new budget bill for 2018, a Sputnik correspondent reported Tuesday.
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In the northwestern town of Sakiet Sidi Youssef near the border with Algeria, people gathered to protest and demand the solution to the issue of unemployment as well as to develop the country's areas on borders that are in a difficult economic situation.

In El Kef, unemployed people came out onto the streets demanding to provide jobs, while young people in the country's Kasserine Governorate and the capital city of Tunis held protests against increases in fuel prices and taxes.

The local Nessma TV channel reported on Monday, citing the Tunisian Health Ministry, that one person was killed during protests in the northern town of Tebourba. The broadcaster also noted, citing a source, that five security officers were injured.

​On January 5, during a meeting with political parties and trade unions, Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi called on the country's citizens to show patience and preserve stability as such fiscal measures were necessary to restore the financial balance of the state budget as well as to attract foreign investments.

In December, the Tunisian parliament approved the 2018 budget, which raised taxes on hotel accommodation, cars, alcohol, phone calls, the internet as well as custom taxes on some products imported from abroad.

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