50,000 dinars to support Tunisian opposition journalism

Tunisian President Zein al-Abidin Ben Ali issued a decision yesterday to granting each opposition newspaper 50,000 dinars annually to be distributed as 1,000 dinars weekly, as the political parties' papers are issued weekly except for newspaper of the ruling Constitutional Assembly.

The decision aims at urging the opposition parties toward greater participation in Tunisia's political, economic and social life.

This donation will be specified from the budget of the republic's presidency.

There are 760 professional journalists in Tunisia and 170-press authorizations for parties, associations and companies, allowing the distribution of more than 580 Arabic and foreign publications inside Tunis.