PM Kamal El Ganzouri to leave office on 30 June (Photo: Reuters)
Egypt's interim premier, Kamal El-Ganzouri, admonished journalists at a press conference Saturday for "circulating rumours," strenuously denying recent media reports that prominent businessmen and governmental officials had fled Egypt out of fear the Muslim Brotherhood's presidential candidate, Mohamed Morsi, would assume power.
Some media reports said that former vice president and spy chief Omar Suleiman had travelled to the United Arab Emirates with his family closely following him. Many conjectured that Suleiman, who has always been at loggerheads with the Brotherhood and other Islamist forces, decided to leave the country in case Morsi assumed power. The same suspicions were raised relative to unnamed businessmen.
When asked by a reporter to comment on these reports, El-Ganzouri described them as "lies," and called on journalists no to report unconfirmed news. "As citizens you should not repeat allegations that could harm the country," he stated in an angry tone.
During the press conference, El-Ganzouri, whose previous tenure as premier was under Mubarak, reiterated that his government will be relieved of its duties 30 June as the new president, set to be announced Sunday, will form a new cabinet.
El-Ganzouri was appointed by the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) in December 2011.
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