Tunisian president says IMF 'dictats' unacceptable

TUNIS - Tunisian President Kais Saied said on Thursday when asked about a possible deal with the International Monetary Fund that international lenders' dictats are unacceptable and that previous subsidy cuts led to deadly protests.

"Public peace is not a game," he said.

Saied said the alternative to a deal with the IMF is that "Tunisians must count on themselves", in the clearest sign of his rejection of a possible deal with the IMF.