National Association of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (ANPME) Warns of Unchecked Crisis of Bounced Checks in Tunisia
The National Association of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (ANPME) is sounding the alarm on the alarming scale of bounced checks in Tunisia, with nearly two million cases reported in 2022, according to a magistrate. In a statement released on July 26, 2025, the association is calling for an end to the criminalization of bounced checks, arguing that imprisoning business leaders who are unable to pay their debts does not allow for debt recovery or economic activity revival.
According to the ANPME, the figures highlight the magnitude of the problem: while a judge in Monastir mentioned over two million cases of bounced checks in 2022, the Ministry of Justice only officially recognizes 114,603 cases. Furthermore, the national register of enterprises revealed that nearly 350,000 businesses had not declared their tax revenues for over three years, signaling a collapse of the entrepreneurial fabric.
In most cases, the holders of bounced checks are former business owners who have already liquidated their assets to avoid prison. Their imprisonment does not allow for fund recovery or reintegration into the economic cycle.
The association attributes this crisis to structural factors dating back to the post-revolution period: the rise of the informal sector (now representing nearly 50% of the market), increasing tax pressures, massive influx of cheap imports, reckless public hiring, reduction of state financing after 2016, and banks' withdrawal from providing cash facilities. Recent shocks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, have further exacerbated the situation, weakening small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) even more.
In light of this situation, the ANPME is calling for:
- Decriminalization of bounced checks, in line with international standards
- Effective application of the law, including the abandonment of prosecutions against those over 60 years old and respect for the statute of limitations
- Promotion of alternative payment methods through public banks
- A national program to reintegrate economically fragile debtors
- A clear relaunch of investment through a more just incentive framework
