Archive for The President

The Muslim Brotherhood does not know who is campaigning on the Internet to nominate the group's deputy supreme guide, Khairat al-Shater, for prime minister, the Brotherhood's secretary general said, denying that it could be the group's youth.

"It is up to the president to decide on this," Mahmoud Hussein told Al-Masry Al-Youm on Monday, adding, "and we will support him."

A Facebook group campaigning for Shater's nomination said Friday that its members are contacting political figures to support their demand.

Hussein added that the group objects to certain ministers in Prime Minister Hesham Qandil's Cabinet, but refuses to change it fully, as it is an interim government.

In a related development, sources said negotiations are under way with Omar al-Sheikh, chairman of Telecom Egypt, to take over as communications minister, succeeding Hany Mahmoud, who has resigned. Atef Helmy, former president of Oracle, declined the position.

They also said Ahmed al-Rokaiby is about to accept the post of supply and internal trade minister.

Meanwhile, a Cabinet source said the president would soon announce the reshuffle.

President Mohamed Morsy revealed Wednesday his plans for a Cabinet reshuffle.

Morsy, in a televised speech on the adoption of the country's new Constitution, said, "I asked Qandil and consulted with him to make appropriate ministerial reshuffles suitable for [this] stage, to face all problems large and small problems".

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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President Morsy’s latest address to the nation—at Saturday’s opening session of the Shura Council’s new cycle—provoked a few sarcastic headlines in Sunday’s papers.

Independent daily Al-Sabah observes that “Morsi speaks about the Egypt he imagines,” criticizing the president’s speech as overly optimistic and writing that the new president is following toppled President Hosni Mubarak’s path by ignoring clear problems in the country.

In his address, published in state-run Al-Ahram, Morsy announced that the passing of the new Constitution has ended the long transition period and initiated a new era of equality and prosperity.  He repeated his invitation to political parties and opposition to join a national dialogue.

Morsy’s description of the economic situation received the most criticism. The president attacked those who claim that Egypt is heading towards bankruptcy and detailed the different sectors in which Egypt’s economy has improved.

Opposition newspaper Al-Tahrir headlined with a critical description of the scene of the nationally televised speech, contrasting the elaborate preparations to the unimpressive content speech and calling Morsy “Mubarak’s identical copy”:

“A 30-car motorcade, trees to welcome his highness at the parliament, evacuation of the Ministry of Health building…removing graffiti that demands justice, and a weak speech.”

The paper’s chief editor Ibrahim Eissa wrote that the address was “ boring, repetitive, (and) separate from reality.”

News also looms of an expected cabinet reshuffle.

Privately-owned Al-Shorouk reports the cabinet reshuffle will take place within two days. It cites government sources saying that the Freedom and Justice Party is pressuring the government to replace some ministers who are not aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood.

Ayman Al Sayad, a former adviser to Morsy who recently resigned, wrote an address of his own to the President in Al-Shorouk. El Sayed is one of at least seven top advisers to the president who have resigned over the past month.

Al Sayad argues that the advisory group on which he served failed in its main task, which was to bridge the gap between the president’s supporters and the Brotherhood on one hand and the rest of the country on the other.

Al Sayad reproached the President for addressing “his people” rather than the nation. He also criticized the use of religion by the president’s supporters and wrote that the last straw came when the president’s aides, including himself, failed to convince the Brotherhood to refrain from sending its youth to attack a sit-in at the presidential palace earlier this month which led to deadly clashes.

“Mr. President, I walk away maintaining cordiality and respect to you and other friends in your group but I cannot be a hypocrite and unfortunately I now feel that staying close to you entails hypocrisy and deception to myself and others,” he concluded.

Egypt’s papers:

Al-Ahram: Daily, state-run, largest distribution in Egypt

Al-Akhbar: Daily, state-run, second to Al-Ahram in institutional size

Al-Gomhurriya: Daily, state-run

Rose al-Youssef: Daily, state-run

Al-Dostour: Daily, privately owned

Al-Shorouk: Daily, privately owned

Al-Watan: Daily, privately owned

Al-Wafd: Daily, published by the liberal Wafd Party

Youm7: Daily, privately owned

Al-Tahrir: Daily, privately owned

Al-Sabah: Daily, privately owned

Freedom and Justice: Daily, published by the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party

Sawt al-Umma: Weekly, privately owned

Al-Arabi: Weekly, published by the Nasserist Party

Al-Nour: Official paper of the Salafi Nour Party

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The Alexandria Administrative Court decreed Tuesday that the maximum wage should be applied on the president, prime minister, ministers and governors.

The court ordered the prime minister to include these positions in minimum and maximum wage regulations, saying that the rule of law requires equality.

The military council, which ran the country during the interim period, issued a law ordering that all civil servants be subject to maximum wage legislation, even in the case of temporary employment and regardless of what their positions are, the court said. According to maximum wage rules, state employees’ incomes should not exceed 35 times the minimum wage.

The court said that the prime minister did not include the president, prime minister, ministers and governors when stating the positions the maximum wage applied to, in violation of the law. These positions should be included because they are role models for society, the court added.  
 

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NICOSIA: The Syrian vice president’s criticism of leader Bashar al-Assad has highlighted the cracks in the regime’s highest ranks, pitting supporters of compromise against the president’s hardline inner circle.

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The president will dismiss seven judges of the Supreme Constitutional Court within hours, enforcing the draft constitution’s stipulation that the court be composed of its president and 10 oldest members, according to a judicial source.

The source added that the SCC general assembly was holding an emergency meeting to transfer four judges to the consultative body of court commissioners, and reinstate the seven dismissed members to their previous positions.

The source explained that once the constitution passes, it may not be challenged judicially, and the SCC has no jurisdiction to review its provisions.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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The Muslim Brotherhood Youth have called on President Mohamed Morsy to clarify the reasons behind his recent actions.

The people need clarification on the president’s decision-making process and what happens within state institutions, including the appointment and dismissal of officials, said Mohamed Haddad, a Brotherhood Youth member in the Delta city of Mahalla.

“We need, like other people, a clear understanding of each decision taken by the Cabinet and presidency,” Haddad said, adding that he wondered why the president didn’t provide more details regarding the conspiracy he claimed was afoot to overthrow him and the revolution.

Haddad also said that a new, partisan Cabinet should be formed that would be able to carry out the president’s electoral promises and be held accountable for the state’s actions.

The Brotherhood Youth are troubled by the Morsy administration’s lack of transparency, said Mohamed Saeed, a Brotherhood member from Alexandria. The youth question their group leaders but are unable to get firm answers, Saeed added.

However, other members have defended the fact that the Brotherhood has a democratic structure allowing for differences within its ranks.

Brotherhood leader Ahmed al-Hag said that it is natural to find different points of view in any group. Youth members ask their leaders daily about the reasons behind the state’s decisions, and the leaders reply with whatever information they have, Hag said.

Hag added that he agrees with some demands of the youth, but disagrees with others. He also explained that the Brotherhood organizes small groups that hold weekly meetings to discuss different visions and suggestions.

The Muslim Brotherhood does not run the Morsy administration, Hag said. For instance, when the Cabinet moved to increase prices, Brotherhood leaders were against that decision, he added.

Some youth also said that the opposition to Morsy’s rule is not unified.

Saeed said there are two fronts currently facing off in Egypt: the first includes the president and Islamists, and the second includes the revolutionary forces, the deep state and the remnants of Mubarak regime. He added the second group aims to hinder national progress.

He also maintains that some state institutions are derailing Morsy's mission.

The Interior Ministry’s slow response to the recent attacks on Muslim Brotherhood and Freedom and Justice Party headquarters, as compared to how quickly the ministry responded to attacks on the Wafd Party headquarters, suggests that there is an anti-Islamist conspiracy, Saeed said.

Haddad added the ministry needs to be purged of corruption, as does the judiciary.

A number of young Brotherhood members have defected from the group over the last two years in protest against the guidance bureau's policies.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Dozens of protesters against President Mohamed Morsy rallied outside the Al-Hamd Mosque, located in an affluent suburb just outside of Cairo, after Friday prayers. Rival protesters in support of Morsy also gathered there, chanting slogans for the president.

The mosque’s imam, Sheikh Abdel Rahma Yaqoub, said that assigning the president titles like “Highness and Excellency” does not contradict Islam. The Prophet Mohamed said people should be addressed according to their favored titles, and international organizations approve such titles, he added.

In a previous sermon, some worshippers had objected to referring to Morsy as “his Excellency,” saying it was not religious.

Praying for the president is a desirable and mandatory action, Yaqoub added.

During the Friday sermon the sheikh prayed for Morsy, saying the Prophet Mohamed had ordered the faithful to do so. He called on his fellow sheikhs to encourage people to participate in the constitutional referendum, the second phase of which is scheduled for Saturday.

The incident recalls a similar one that occured on 30 November, when the congregation of the Hassan al-Sharbatly Mosque in New Cairo protested against Morsy as he attended prayers there. When the imam of the mosque attempted to defend Morsy’s actions, the congregation interrupted him, protesting against his comparison of the president to the Prophet, and chanted “Down with the rule of the supreme guide.”

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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The president’s office issued a statement on Tuesday clarifying an official’s remarks suggesting that President Mohamed Morsy had received evidence that the Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC)  intends to dissolve the Constituent Assembly.

Essam al-Haddad, the assistant to the president for external relations, had made the statements to foreign media outlets on Friday.

Haddad was not claiming that the judges themselves wanted to dissolve the assembly, but rather other circles of influence did, the president’s office claimed in Tuesday’s statement. It stressed Haddad’s respect for all state institutions, including the judiciary, adding that the Morsy administration respects the independence of the judiciary and believes in the separation of powers.

The SCC had criticized Haddad’s statements to the media, saying he “slandered” the court.

On Friday Heddad had also claimed that the Islamist-dominated People’s Assembly was dissolved under suspicious circumstances by the court.

Relations between Morsy’s office and the judiciary have been strained since the dissolution of Parliament in June. Islamist supporters of the president besieged the SCC earlier this month fearing that it would rule to dissolve the Constituent Assembly, which is also dominated by Islamists.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Egypt’s judges will only return to work when they decide to, not as ordered by the president, Supreme Judicial Council or even the Judges Club, club chairman Ahmed al-Zend said on Monday at a news conference.

The club refused to supervise the first round of voting in the constitutional referendum in protest against President Mohamed Morsy’s 22 November Constitutional Declaration, which placed the president above judicial oversight.

The first phase of the referendum took place on Saturday 15 December in 10 governorates. Early numbers suggest that 57 percent of voters approved the draft constitution, while 43 percent voted against it.

The second phase is scheduled for Saturday 22 December in the remaining 17 governorates.

 “We have suspended work for two weeks now,” Zend said, “and no official bothered to see what our demands are.”

The judges are not obstructing justice but rather defending the independence of the judiciary, Zend said.

He added that the constitutional declaration has assaulted the independence of the judiciary and must be rescinded.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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The Supreme Constitutional Court has criticized a statement from the president’s office Friday, saying that the statement “slanders” the court.

The statement, issued in English, was addressed to international media and was part of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for External Relations and International Cooperation’s efforts to explain the president’s recent decisions.

In a statement released Monday, the court said, “The president assistant statement showed a deliberate insistence to continue on the road of abuse, insult and slandering of the Supreme Constitutional Court.”

The court also demanded that the president’s office provide evidence that the judges were conspiring to overthrow state institutions.

In its statement Friday, the president’s office claimed that the People’s Assembly was dissolved under suspicious circumstances by the court, and also alleged that the president received evidence claiming the court was also aiming to dissolve the Constituent Assembly.

The statement alleged that the evidence the president’s office received led in part to President Mohamed Morsy’s 22 November constitutional declaration immunizing his decisions from judicial review and protecting the assembly from dissolution.

The court also rejected allegations that it has taken a side in Egypt’s ongoing political divisions.

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