The president of the Tunisian Federation of Artisans and Small and Medium Enterprises (FTAPME), Mehdi Barbouch, has warned of a growing crisis threatening Tunisian SMEs. He cites excessive taxation, the impact of the parallel market, delayed state payments, and limited access to financing as key factors. Barbouch describes the situation as a “suffocating” financial strain on these businesses. These combined pressures are jeopardizing the survival of an increasing number of SMEs, which are vital to the Tunisian economy. The FTAPME president’s statements highlight the urgent need for government intervention to address these challenges and support the sector. The issues were raised in a recent statement published by Business News.