A file photo of Egypt's Parliament. REUTERS
Egypt's parliament – the House of Representatives – on Sunday ratified amendments to six laws that were debated over the last month
Topping the list is an amendment to the civil service law that allows government authorities to automatically dismiss state employees who test positive for drugs, and without need for invoking judicial measures against them first.
The move aims to protect society from the dangers of keeping government employees who administer drugs in their jobs. Employees have the right to appeal the dismissal decision and seek forensic medicine.
The House also approved an amendment to Article 186 of the penal code criminalizing filming or recording of court hearings without prior permission from the presiding judge.
The House also ratified an amendment to the law no. 70/1964 on Notarisation and Documentation Fees. It imposes a notarization fee of 0.5 per cent (a maximum of EGP 100,000) on all companies which have business in foreign markets.
It also Okayed a legislative amendment aiming to exempt Egypt's Tahya Misr (Long Live Egypt) Fund from all kinds of taxes and fees. The Fund's foreign donations and grants will be also exempted from custom duties and free zone fees. The exemptions aim to help the Tahya Misr implement its social projects without financial burdens.
It also approved a government-drafted law aimed at establishing an Egyptian online portal for Umrah (minor Islamic pilgrimage) visits, as a new mechanism to regulate the travel of Egyptians to and from Saudi Arabia to perform the Umrah pilgrimage.
It approved a legislative amendment to the 87/2015 Electricity Law, aiming to give government-owned electricity companies a grace period of ten years to adjust their conditions in order to be able to work in a competitive market.
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