Tunisian Speaker Rached Ghannouchi adjourned on Tuesday a plenary session after a dispute between lawmakers over a draft-law on selling some shares of Tunisair to Qatar Airways.
The session, which was initially set to consider economic bills, was adjourned when deputies failed to agree on a proposal to reduce the number of draft-laws from four to two.
In comments earlier this month, Tunisair CEO Elyes Mnakbi said that there were negotiations for an expanded partnership to sell 30 percent of Tunisair's stake to Qatar Airways.
However, the national carrier later denied it, saying the decision was subject to parliament’s approval.
During Tuesday’s session, a dispute emerged between deputy Manji al-Rahawi of the United Democratic Nationalist Party and Ennahdha MP Noureddine Bhiri.
Rahawi accused Ghannouchi of conspiring to approve the draft agreement with Qatar.
“Stop lying,” he shouted to the Speaker.
Ghannouchi snapped back, saying the deputy’s remarks were “despicable.”
Following the exchange of accusations, Bhiri spoke to defend the Speaker. “You are the biggest liar that Tunisia ever knew,” he told Rahawi.
