CAIRO: Prime Minister Hazem al-Beblawy said Tuesday that Egypt has completed an important stage in its history, as the 50-member committee has completed a new draft of the constitution, and implementation of the roadmap as it was planned after the June 30 uprising has begun.
“Egypt’s constitution protects freedoms, defends them and confirms the importance of democracy and social justice. It is produced in a way that is worthy of honor and gratitude. I congratulate the Egyptian people on the constitution. We are determined to complete the roadmap until the end,” Beblawy said during a press conference at the cabinet headquarters.
The prime minister stressed that everyone who participated or even sympathized with the events of June 30 should participate in voting on the constitution in the next period. He emphasized the necessity for Egyptians to participate in voting on their new constitution.
Regarding the new protest law, Beblawy said the law has faced an unfair campaign during the past week, and all developed countries have laws to regulate protests.
He said the country will deal with the protests in accordance with what the law stipulates, through calls with bullhorns to disperse at first. He said the law will be applied forcibly but not violently.
As for the student in the Faculty of Engineering at Cairo University who was killed during last week’s clashes, he said the initial reports about the incident indicate that the death was inside the faculty. It was caused by a birdshot, which is not used by police forces, he said.
Answering a question about disagreements inside the government and about the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Ziad Bahaa Eddin, Beblawy said, “I am very happy with a government of ministers who have many various visions. All topics are discussed from all sides, and this is the richness of this government. But there is no differences or problems as rumored by some.”
The prime minister conveyed condolences to the family of Lieutenant General Reda Hafez, Minister of State for Military Production. “He was an example of activeness and diligence during his duty in the government,” he said.
Major General Mohamed Ibrahim, Minister of Interior, delivered a message to citizens and university students, saying, “Do not let conspiracies in Egypt affect you. This is happening to provoke the students and to recruit some of them to the Muslim Brotherhood,” he said.
“We cannot harm students in the university,” he added.
Ibrahim said the ministry has formed a commission to inspect and to review those who acquired Egyptian citizenship during the rule of the former president Mohamed Morsi, and also those who received presidential pardons. Ibrahim noted that the report of the commission would be delivered to the president to take necessary action.
Ibrahim added that he ordered police forces to withdraw from outside Cairo University to avoid any further clashes with students.
Regarding the situation in the Sinai, he stressed that security services are achieving remarkable progress in launching successful strikes against Takfiri groups. “I promise the Egyptian people that we will punish and seek revenge on every terrorist, according to the law,” he said.
In response to a question around the assasination of National Security Officer Colonel Mohamed Mabrouk, the minister said, “The incident was not due to leaked information as some claimed, but terrorist groups took advantage of the moment he went out of his house, then started their treacherous strike.”
He said the police force has 34,000 officers and no country in the world is able to prevent every incident.
He said the ministry is now focusing on securing government facilities in an anticipation of any escalation by terrorist groups allied with the Brotherhood.
