Kamal Amer, head of parliament's defence and national security committee, told parliamentary reporters that the committee has asked the government to positively respond to the interior ministry's demand that its allocations in the new fiscal year budget 2018/2019 be increased by EGP 13.9 billion.

"When we first discussed this issue in a meeting on 22 April, the ministry of planning said the budget of the interior ministry could be increased by EGP 4.3 billion only," said Amer, adding "but as we fully agree that the ministry of interior is in a pressing need for this increase, we exerted pressure on the ministry of planning officials to meet this demand as soon as possible."

Amer said, "It is good that the ministry of planning has informed us that it has initially approved the ministry of interior's demand after consultation with officials affiliated with the ministry of finance."

The MP, former chief of Egypt's military intelligence, told reporters that a meeting will be held on 6 May in the presence of Minister of Planning Hala El-Saeed to reach a final decision on this important issue.

Amer disclosed that the budget of the interior ministry increased from EGP 41.4 billion in FY 2017/2018 to LE48.5 billion in FY 2018/2019.

"This increase is not enough to help the interior ministry in its battle against terrorist networks and to upgrade its performance in cracking down on all kinds of crimes," said Amer.

Khaled Khalaf Allah, a member of the committee, also told reporters that "there is a kind of consensus among MPs that the budget of the Ministry of Interior should be increased in the new year."

"The ministry and security forces made significant success in combating terrorist groups like Hasm and Liwaa El-Thawra in 2017, and stemming terrorist attacks against churches and civilians," said Khalaf Allah.

He argued that the interior ministry "is also in a pressing need for possessing the most modern and up-to-date equipment necessary to dismantle terrorist strongholds."

"We all know that terrorist groups, primarily Daesh, have obtained new technology to carry out their terrorist attacks, and as a result security forces and officers should be alert at all times, ready with all the modern electronic tools and equipment to detect terrorist movements and foil their operations," he said.


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