The first meeting of the new Tunisian interim government, led by Mohamed Ghannouchi was postponed to Thursday as popular protests against the new line-up continue. The decision comes one day after three ministers from the Labor Union stepped down.
Meanwhile, ousted Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali has been barred from any political activity relating to his country while he shelters in Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom's Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal said Wednesday. "This act should not lead to any kind of activity in Tunisia from the kingdom... There are conditions, and no act in this regard will be allowed," Faisal told Saudi television.
In another development, the Tunisian authorities declared on Wednesday that an investigation to check the "illegal acquisition of properties" and "illegal financial investments abroad" was launched against Ben Ali and his family. This came as Swiss authorities decided to freeze for a period of three years all the bank accounts of Ben Ali and to prohibit the sale of property he owns in Switzerland. The legitimate authorities in Tunisia can now send a request to return these funds.
