Tunisian MPs Propose General Amnesty for Bounced Checks up to 5,000 Dinars
A group of 45 members of the Tunisian People's Assembly has proposed a bill to grant a general amnesty for bounced checks, provided the amounts do not exceed 5,000 dinars. The initiators of this initiative justify their approach by the need to alleviate an already overburdened judicial system, which is dealing with thousands of similar cases.
They also believe that prison sentences, which can have a negative impact on Tunisian families and society as a whole, should be avoided. To this end, the MPs have requested an urgent review of this bill, which has been referred to the general legislative and internal regulations committees. The goal is to pronounce the amnesty before the publication of Law No. 41 of 2024, which amends certain provisions of the commercial code.
According to the parliamentarians, the current economic situation has exacerbated the number of bounced check cases, particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises, which are still experiencing crises since the COVID-19 pandemic. This situation is further aggravated by the lack of cooperation from banks in providing necessary financing, as highlighted in an explanatory note presented to the ARP office.
