Tunis — President of the Republic Kaïs Saïed chaired Wednesday a meeting in Carthage which was attended by Premier Sarra Zaâfrani Zenzri, Public Works and Housing Minister and Acting Minister of Industry, Mines and Energy Salah Zouari and Minister of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries Ezzeddine Ben Cheikh.

The meeting was also held in the presence of the CEOs of the Tunisian Company of Electricity and Gas (STEG) and the Tunisian water distribution company (SONEDE).

The President said he is closely and continuously following up the nationwide water and electricity outages and praised the efforts made by the personnel of both utilities, the Presidency said in a press release.

The recurrence of recent incidents in several sectors and regions can by no means be seen as "simple isolated events," the Head of State said.

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Investigations had shown that water and power disruptions across the country had not been the result of "routine tehnical failures" but rather the result of "deliberate acts of sabotage" designed to stir tensions, fuel lies and rumours and deprive citizens from their right to essential services.

The "enmies of the homeland and their allies are presently unmasked," the President further said. "As long as the domestic front remains cohesive and civic awareness acute, notwithstanding destabilisation attempts, these criminal designs will be doomed to failure whatever their origin."

"The Tunisian people no longer need simple press releases" but rather "acts," President Saïed emphasised.

"There come moments in the history of nations and peoples when making distinction becomes more vital than ever." These moments are decisive, paving the way for a new history."