TUNIS, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Tunisia's government on
Wednesday began discussions on a new foreign exchange bill it
says will help to make international business dealings easier,
following calls from Tunisian firms for reform.
"Tunisia looks to modernise the exchange system and to
gradual liberalisation of financial relations toward a full
liberalisation with the outside world," the government said on
Wednesday in a statement following talks on the bill.
Investors have to get central bank approval to access hard
currency to fund operations abroad, or obtain credit letters to
import goods. The central bank issues approval on a
case-by-cases basis, a process some firms say is opaque and
overly bureaucratic.
Last month, Central Bank Governor Marouan Abassi said the
new law should make the local currency system more flexible
without giving more details.
The central bank has sought to limit access to hard currency
to stem a fall in the dinar since the toppling of autocrat Zine
El Abidine Ben Ali in 2011 left Tunisia's economy in crisis.
Tunisian banks are unable to issue credit cards for
Tunisians that work abroad and foreigners in Tunisia also face
restrictions in making bank transfers abroad unless they
register as an offshore entity, which allows them privileges.
(Reporting by Tarek Amara; editing by Barbara Lewis)
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