Tunis/Tunisia — Public and private companies owe more than TND 9 billion to social security funds, Nader Ajabi, director general of social security, said on Monday.

Speaking at a study day organised by the Parliamentary Academy at the Assembly of People's Representatives (ARP) on social policy in Tunisia, Ajabi said that the private sector owes social security funds TND 8,200 million, of which TND 3,500 million are considered heavy debts that are difficult to pay.

At the same time, public companies owe TND 1,200 million to the social security funds, of which TND 420 million are owed to the social security institutions by a single company operating in the transport sector, the same source added.

Ajabi stressed the need to find new mechanisms to ensure the survival of the social security funds, whose situation today requires major reforms to maintain their financial equilibrium.

In this context, he pointed out that the social security system is based on the sharing of contributions between generations. He noted that the improvement in life expectancy at birth and the increase in the number of people receiving retirement pensions have complicated the financial situation of the social security funds.

Ajabi pointed out that the social security system in Tunisia meets the international standards of the International Labour Organisation, with the exception of the unemployment pension.