Demonstrations against price increase before the parliament
Egypt, Politics, 9/11/2003

Scores of members of the opposition leftist "unionist progressive national coalition" demonstrated in front of the Egyptian people's assembly ( parliament ) in Cairo yesterday in protest for price increase in living conditions.

A delegation representing the demonstrators handed over a message to the speaker of parliament Fathi Sorour holding the government responsible "for the economic crisis." Scores of demonstrators gathered in front of the headquarters of the council in the downtown of Cairo and raised banners calling on the government to protect "the poor."

Hundreds of members of the security forces cordoned the place whereas the riot fighting police blocked the neighboring routes as demonstrations are forbidden in Egypt, according to the emergency law.

A delegation representing the demonstrators handed over a memorandum to the speaker of the parliament holding the government " esponsible for the economic crisis." The memorandum criticized "the persistence of the government to continue the policy of liberalizing the economy, and the exchange rate. A matter which led to the increase in living conditions that increased 40%."

The Egyptian pound has lost almost one quarter of its value in the face of the US dollar since embarking on the policy of exchange rate liberalization by the end of January this year. Today the dolar is equal to 6.15 Egyptian pound at banks and 6.5 Egyptian pounds in the black market.

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