National Salvation Front: Ministerial Adjustment a Continuation of Muslim Brotherhood's Policies

By MidEast Christian News, Tuesday, May 07, 2013

Ahmed Fawzi, Secretary-General for the Egyptian Social Democratic Party and a leading figure of the National Salvation Front (NSF), stated that the recent ministerial adjustments are merely a continuation of the Muslim Brotherhood's policies in Egypt.

Egyptian Prime Minister Dr. Hisham Qandil announced a new ministerial formation this morning in which nine ministers were changed.

This reshuffling excluded the ministers of interior and media despite widespread criticism against Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim. He is blamed for for the security forces' handling of protesters and its inability to protect citizens in the attacks in Khosos and the papal headquarters of St. Mark's Cathedral.

Minister of Information and Media Salah Abdel Maksoud was heavily criticized for his sexual remarks to female journalists, which has led to demonstrations calling for his dismissal.

According to Egyptian newspaper Al-Dostour, Fawzi said that the presidency has yet to announce the reason behind this adjustment "as it is strange and pointless," considering it to be a continuation of the Brotherhood's old policies.

Fawzi added that these policies do not solve the crisis between the presidency and opposition, but rather makes it worse.

He also criticized the decision to stick with the current minister of interior, who is responsible for the widespread availability of arms in the country.

"The front and all opposition have called for the dismissal of the government, but the regime disregarded their calls and only made a few amendments … the goal of which is to continue the Brotherhood's policies in Egypt and to assure the forging of the upcoming elections," Magdi Hamdan, a leading figure of the NSF, told Mideast Christian News.

"The ministerial adjustment was a form of a convincing bribe for counselor Hatem Bagato, where he was given the position of minister of legal and parliamentary affairs, as his testimony is required for one of the cases regarding the results of the presidential elections," Hamdan added.