(TAP) - Vice-President of the National Union of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT), Amira Mohamed, said that the principle of a general strike in the public media sector has been decided, adding that the date will be set later.

This decision was taken in coordination with the General Federation of Information, she added, noting that "the SNJT will resort to escalation while being open to negotiation, as long as it is reasoned and responsible and leads to concrete results.

The vice-president was referring to the meetings held at the headquarters of Tunisian Television.

During a press conference held on Monday at SNJT headquarters on the current situation in the media sector, Amira Mohamed said that the union will not remain silent about what is happening in public and private media establishments.

The union's executive and extended board will meet to take decisions to defend the media sector, journalists' rights and freedom of expression, she said.

"Freedom of information is today seriously threatened by laws that could be drafted individually or because of militias that refuse difference of opinion and attack the sector," she regretted.

The SNJT vice-president also recalled meetings with the Prime Ministry, the Minister of Social Affairs in charge of the information file and several officials to address the main problems of the sector, including the lack of implementation of agreements and over-indebtedness.

She criticised "the ongoing worsening of the situation even after July 25, especially in view of the growing problems of public media establishments, such as Tunisian television and radio", noting that journalists concerned by the regularisation of their situation have not received salaries for three months.

Amira Mohamed also mentioned the situation of the Tunis Afrique Presse Agency (TAP) which has not had a CEO since April 2021. She also mentioned the situation of SNIPE La Presse and confiscated media outlets such as Cactus Prod and Shems FM.

Regarding the framework agreement, she said "we have a government that does not respect the law and a state that does not respect court decisions despite the existence of a final ruling by the Administrative Court to publish this agreement.

On another level, Amira Mohamed considered that Tunisian Television has deviated from its "independent and professional" editorial line and has seen its journalists "harassed by the management of the establishment and the social media militias".

Tunisian television has been transformed into a platform for the orientations of the President of the Republic, she deplored, underlining the categorical refusal of the union of "this blatant propaganda for a specific party".