Popular Egyptian Facebook page 'We are all Khaled Said', has criticised the Egyptian army’s culture of secrecy, contrasting it with the “transparency” of the British government.
Two articles in the new Supra-Constitutional principles, which have been put up for discussion before being implemented, have drawn the ire of political parties and activists.
Article Nine stipulates that “only the armed forces has the right to discuss matters related to the armed forces or discuss its budget… and only the armed forces can approve any legislation relating to the armed forces”.
It was amended later after the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF), Egypt’s military rulers, came in for fierce criticism for trying to “revitalise dictatorship” following the ouster of autocratic ruler Hosni Mubarak.
“The link below shows full details about the British Defence Ministry’s dealings within a year,” the page said, publishing a PDF file entitled 'Ministry of Defence Annual Report and Accounts 2010-11'.
“The ministry’s budget, the weapons it bought or made and the salaries of all its officials are available in that file.
“In Egypt, the supra-constitutional principles do not even authorize a People Assembly’s member, who is elected by the Egyptian people, to know any details about the ministry of defence’s budget.”
The debate is likely to be reignited when a freshly-elected parliament begins drafting a new constitution next year.
Critics argue that the Egyptian army will not leave office until it guarantees its virtual independence.
The next Egyptian president could be the country's first leader without a military background since 1952, when a military coup ended Egypt’s royal dynasty.
Army men Mohamed Naguib, Gamal Abdel-Nasser, Anwar El-Sadat and Mubarak have dominated the country in the intervening years.
“The armed forces are not a state above the state and will not be,” presidential hopeful Mohamed El-Baradei said recently following the announcement of the controversial Supra-Constitutional principles.
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