President of the Republic Kaïs Saïed stated that true independence is not simply the ratification of a protocol, but full and complete sovereignty.

It is about being the master of one's own destiny and will, free to make choices which should be in line with the people's will, he argued on Thursday at the National Security Council meeting.

In a video posted by the Presidency of the Republic, President Saïed congratulated the Tunisian people on the 69th anniversary of Independence Day.

He recalled the Tunisian people's heroic struggle for freedom, honour and dignity.

This struggle is ongoing to rid the country of corruption in order to guarantee justice and achieve the goals for which hundreds of patriots had sacrificed their lives.

He underlined determination to combat all plots that are being hatched and to defend Tunisia's invulnerability.

In this connection, President Kaïs Saïed referred to the existence of "criminal gangs operating in several public services through agents in their pay."

"It is high time for everyone to shoulder their responsibilities and be accountable for all their choices, whatever their position."

The President of the Republic added that the 'corruption lobbies and their agents' are now targeting the Kasbah to extend their activities, forgetting that the mission of the government, or formerly the Prime Ministry or the Secretariat of State to the Presidency, is to assist the Head of State in the exercise of his executive function.

President Kaïs Saïed commented on the succession of events in the run-up to the month of Ramadan, including cases of suicide and poisoning, road closures and shortages of certain basic products.

He also referred to the holding of a "meeting in a Western capital attended by several people."

All these events had coincided with the start of the hearings in the so-called case of "conspiracy against state security," he pointed out.