By Mohamed El-Baaly and Deena Gamil 

The Prime Minister’s Advisor for International Cooperation, Ziad Bahaa el-Din, said on Sunday that the government’s programme to protect the democratic transition does not involve any intentions to strike an agreement with the Muslim Brotherhood.

In an exclusive interview with Aswat Masriya, the Prime Minister's advisor said that pressures facing Egypt forced him to launch what has become known as “Ziad Bahaa el-Din’s initiative”, a project adopted by the government on August 21 to protect the democratic transition.

Egypt’s top army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, announced the roadmap after the deposition of Mursi - who hails from the Brotherhood - in July. It includes constitutional amendments as well as a decision to hold early parliamentary and presidential elections. 

Bahaa el-Din told Aswat Masriya that the initiative includes three main ideas based on the roadmap. He called on civil society and political parties to unite their efforts and build a bloc to protect the democratic transition.

A semi-governmental committee has been formed to oversee the progress of the initiative and the government plans to involve the civil society in discussions before issuing legislation relating to the rights and duties of its members. 

He called on civil society and political parties to build a bloc to protect the democratic transition.

Bahaa el-Din added that the government has suspended discussion on the law to regulate protests until it presents it to the national council for human rights to arrange a public dialogue about it.

Investment projects

Egypt’s army-backed transitional government has promised to take quick steps in order to revive the economy by putting a medium-term plan for development in cooperation with Arab and Western donors.

The interim deputy minister has recently attributed current negotiations with the United Arab of Emirates on economy-boosting projects to this investment plan.

He added that Emirati officials have promised to provide Egypt with support, in the form of both loans and aid package to support the cash reserve and developmental programs.

“The government is focused on taking steps to express its social commitments, which does not mean its abandoning the principles of an open economy. Decisions such as regulating prices of some commodities and setting a minimum wages system are only a government intervention to maintain economic development.”

Bahaa el-Din said that the general mood in Egypt is leaning towards the direction of an open economy, but one which must be under certain restraints to ensure social justice.

He denied suggestions that the government's plan would increase the country’s inflation rate, sclaiming that the government instead aims at regulating prices He also voiced hopes that this year’s deficit rate will be smaller than last year’s.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Ahmed Galal has said that the government seeks to reduce the budget deficit to 10 percent during the current fiscal year compared to last year’s 14 percent. 

He explained that the government’s economic plan is comprised of four steps; beginning with initial decisions to help citizens, such as the cancellation of school fees and reduction of in price of some essential supplies.

The government’s investment programme is the second step, after which it plans to work on a range of important pieces of legislation, and then the implementation of long-term reform plans.

Bahaa el-Din explained that the cabinet is currently considering a bill to regulate micro-credit loans.

“Egypt is seeking the development of the small-enterprise sector through supporting its tumbling economy and absorbing the unemployment rate, which now amounts to 13 percent, according to the most recent government estimates.”

Government reform

The senior minister said that the interim president will soon approve a law addressing the conflict of interests between public services and business interests for government officials.

The cabinet has already passed the bill and it now only awaits the president’s signature for the law to be enforced. 

The law was drafted as part of an increase in legislation by the interim government that is designed to curb the widespread corruption in Egypt.

Bahaa al-Din added that the cabinet is also taking into account a long-term plan for the reconstruction of the government apparatus, a necessary step for a large institution which has seen little development in recent years.

He stressed that he feels there is no alternative to working with the government in order to achieve social and economic recovery and, when asked about the structural reform of government, said “I choose to side with the government’s administrative employees,”

He added that the reform plan might require that some ministries be merged and that functions of some public institutions be redefined.