Morsi is not making a clean break with past: Egypt Strong Party

Zeiab El Gundy, Sunday 7 Oct 2012

Strong Egypt Party says president's estimate of progress in 1st 100 days in office out of proportion, policies mirror those of ousted dictator in some respects

 Morsi
Egypt's President Mohamed Mursi speaks to the nation at Cairo stadium October 6, 2012 (Photo: Reuters)

The Strong Egypt Party, founded by former Presidential candidate Abdel-Moneim Abu El-Fotouh, has issued an official statement on Sunday slamming President Morsi's comments, in his Saturday evening speech at Cairo stadium on the occasion of October 1973 war, detailing the progress his administration achieved in his first 100-days-plan since taking office back in July.

"Although the Strong Egypt Party welcomes the fact that Morsi spoke to the people as a first step towards establishing transparency, we still fear that the numbers the president mentioned as evidence on the progress of his 100-days-plan are random, lack accuracy and do not reflect the real world," the statement said.

"Speaking about solving 60 per cent of problems in traffic contradicts ongoing traffic chaos in major cities."

The party added it was not particulary concerned about the efficacy of the 100-days program describing it as mere elections promises, adding "we are more concerned about the general strategies adopted by the presidency after a revolution had taken place."

"Egypt still moves on the same track of the old policies of the former regime when it comes to how much the new Egyptian regime is keen on satisfying the US administration," the statment read.

The strong Egypt Party also charged Morsi's administration still borrows from the IMF like older practices through "secret negotiations we know nothing about."

The statment, moreover, critisised the government's intention to honour the QIZ business agreement with Israel while "not amending the Camp David treaty or forcing complete Egyptian control over Sinai or opening Gaza crossing to transfer goods to our Palestinian brothers."

The Party demanded the president open a wide national dialogue to solve the nation's problems.

The party also criticised president Morsi for keeping icons from Mubarak's regime in governmental positions, "turning a blind eye" to the violations of the police against citizens, and ignoring "fair demands of protesters and strikers in several protests and strikes are ignored."

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