Economist Ridha Chkandali: Mechanisms for Tax-Exempt Car Acquisition are Impossible to Apply
Economist Ridha Chkandali has stated that the mechanisms outlined in Article 55 of the 2026 finance bill for acquiring a tax-exempt vehicle, whether through donations from Tunisians living abroad, the tourist exchange, or the Central Bank's exchange authorization, are practically impossible to implement.
In a post on his official Facebook page, Chkandali explained that each of the three options poses significant difficulties:
Donations from Tunisians Living Abroad: A Mechanism Outside the Official Circuit
According to Chkandali, this mechanism assumes that a Tunisian living in the country finds a relative abroad, for example in France, who pays for the vehicle in foreign currency, and then recovers the amount in Tunisian dinars. He notes that this is equivalent to conducting a currency exchange outside the banking circuit, similar to an activity in the parallel economy, and cannot be officially accounted for as an import operation, since no foreign currency exit from the Central Bank corresponds to it. He adds that for the family to own the vehicle, the resident abroad would have to buy it in their name and then transfer it to the Tunisian family, which, in his opinion, "opens a wide door to fraud and deception".
Tourist Exchange: Low Value and Complex Conditions
Chkandali considers it unrealistic to use the tourist exchange to buy a vehicle, as the amount is very limited and does not cover the price of a vehicle. He also emphasizes that obtaining this exchange is conditional on obtaining a visa, which is not accessible to all eligible families under Article 55.
Central Bank Exchange Authorization: Limited by Reserves
The economist stresses that this mechanism is directly hindered by the country's limited foreign exchange reserves, which cannot fall below the threshold of 90 days of imports due to the state's obligations for debt repayment and the importation of essential products, medicines, and raw materials.
In conclusion, Ridha Chkandali believes that the complexity of these mechanisms makes the application of Article 55 impossible, and wonders what the point is of making "unrealizable" promises to Tunisians, describing these commitments as "selling illusions".
