Key ministers summoned to the important session on the illegal foreign funding of NGOs failed to attend the opening session of the parliament lower house, causing a delay until 1pm
Shura Council Speaker Ahmed Fahmy postponed the first session of the newly-elected body until 1:00pm, objecting that key government representatives are absent.
The Shura Council (upper house of parliament) requested the prime minister, minister of justice and minister of international cooperation to attend its first session to discuss the highly-publicised trial of foreign staff members in NGOs accused of working without license and receiving funds for illicit purposes.
MP and Shura Council majority leader, Ali Fatah El-Bab of Freedom and Justice Party, considered their absence an insult, in light of the fact that they knew of the session. He adds it does not indicate a good start for the newly-formed council.
Fatah El-Bab asserted that regardless how busy the ministers are, that the Shura Council session and the illegal foreign funding NGO case is too urgent and cannot be ignored or delayed by the government.
Speaker Ahmed Fahmy will summon the ministers, with the session expected to start again at 1:00pm.
Meanwhile, the ministerial cabinet announced that Prime Minister Kamel El-Ganzouri will hold a press conference later Tuesday to discuss the NGO case and the recent calls for a motion of no confidence in parliament.
https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/36135.aspx