Senegalese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aissata Tall Sall, was in the European Parliament on Tuesday, June 27, 2023, where she spoke about the political situation in Senegal marked by strong tensions in recent times. She accused the opponent Ousmane Sonko of having called on armed groups, after his sentence of June 1 to two years in prison (for youth corruption) to put Dakar chaos.
Aissata Tall Sall proposed that European parliamentarians submit to them the government’s «White Paper» produced for this purpose.
After his speech, the Czech Senator, Pavel Fischer, took the floor to call to order the Senegalese authorities on the democratic setback observed, the arrests of opponents and activists, journalists and especially on the likely third candidacy of Macky Sall.
You are asking us to stay with Senegal. We will. But we know that you are a lawyer by training. You mentioned the rule of law. Allow me to challenge you as a Senator, directly elected and former candidate in the Czech presidential election. I follow the Senegalese news with concern. President Macky Sall has a vague political future that is decisive for him and especially for Senegal,” said the Czech President.
Then he goes on to say, “He cannot run for a third term under the Constitution. Yet his silence, which he cultivates, worries political representation and arouses concern from the outside world. (…) Yet your country has always been renowned for the stability of its democratic system. Unfortunately, today, the number of political prisoners is higher than ever. Journalists are arrested and freedom of the press is under attack.”
