Tunisia will not impose new taxes on individuals and firms under the 2019 budget, but will continue to reform a costly subsidies system, Prime Minister Youssef Chahed said on Friday during a national symposium. He stressed the governments keenness to reduce taxes imposed on economic institutions and enable them to provide more privileges and incentives that attract investors and create a better environment for investment. "To boost growth and to make companies more competitive, we will not impose new taxes on companies or individuals," Chahed said in a speech, adding that the government will continue to overhaul the subsidies system which is straining public finances. Since June, the PM has pledged that the new budget will not include additional taxes on institutions, with the possibility to reduce taxes over the next three years. Chahed promised that 2018 would be the "year of economic take-off" and achieve a growth rate of up to 3 percent. He explained that the policies adopted by the government since taking office have allowed a room for improvement, but that remains insufficient. The cabinet did not receive enough support to proceed with a number of projects, according to the PM, adding that political disputes affected the governments work and hindered the desired economic and social reforms. Chahed pointed out that achieving an acceptable economic growth requires an appropriate political, social, tax and security environment. He reiterated that positive indicators showed an improvement in the general economic situation, as well as the tourism sector, where the number of tourists in Tunisia exceeded 5 million at the end of August, a 17.5 percent increase. The prime minister admitted there are several difficulties, mainly concerning the financial balances and major economic reforms, which are opposed by political parties and several unions. The symposium was held with the participation of government officials and representatives of several organizations and was boycotted by the Labor Union. The government presented several ideas and projects during four specialized workshops and stressed the economic and social aspects of the 2019 budget. The budget is being drafted by the Ministry of Finance and must be submitted to parliament before October 15.