The Tunisian President Kais Saied expressed yesterday, Monday, his country's rejection of what the European Union announced recently regarding support for his country for the budget and combating illegal immigration, and that Tunisia "accepts cooperation but does not accept anything that resembles charity or alms."

A statement from the Tunisian presidency said: "Our country and people do not want sympathy, nor do they accept it if it is without respect. Accordingly, Tunisia rejects what has been announced in the last few days by the European Union."

The European Commission announced the Friday before last a support package worth 127 million euros (135 million dollars) for Tunisia, with 60 million euros earmarked for the state budget, in addition to a package of aid to combat illegal immigration amounting to approximately 67 million euros as part of an agreement with the European Union.

The Commission stated in a statement: "The European Union and Tunisia are committed to swiftly advancing the implementation of the memorandum of understanding, giving priority to measures in the field of migration and cooperation to combat smuggling networks, assisting in building the capacities of Tunisian law enforcement authorities, as well as supporting the voluntary return and reintegration of migrants in their home countries, with full respect for international law."

The Tunisian president clarified, according to the presidency's statement, that the rejection comes "not because of the insignificance of the amount; for all the treasures of the world do not equal even a tiny fraction of our sovereignty, but because this proposal contradicts the memorandum of understanding that was signed in Tunisia, and with the spirit that prevailed during the Rome conference last July at the Tunisian-Italian initiative."