Mubarak on the press, public corruption, vice president position
Egypt, Politics, 7/13/2006

Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak called on the press to correct itself and to commit itself to objectivity, saying, "Our culture is not that of insults or defamation."

In an interview with Al-Ahram Al-Masai's Chief Editor Morsi Atallah, President Mubarak asserted his responsibility for protecting the freedom of the press and providing favorable atmosphere for playing its right role as the society's fourth authority.

"I am responsible at the same time for protecting the civil rights and dignity of the citizens," he emphasized.

He stressed that he could never have accepted the imprisonment of journalists, asserting full respect for the press and journalists.

He said he exerted great efforts to persuade lawmakers, especially the majority seats of the ruling National Democratic Party, to write off the article on imprisonment of journalists.
He reiterated full respect for the independence of the judiciary in Egypt, pointing out that he has never interfered in any case.

President Mubarak said that he had no idea about the case of Ayman Nour until the Public Prosecution started its procedures.
He said that he learnt about the case while he was in Nigeria last year attending the African summit.

He asserted that he did not interfere in investigations with Farouq Abul-Ezz, the Military Police Chief and former head of the Soccer Federation, who is a relative of Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak.

He said he was the one who pulled the trigger at corruption, referring to the large number of corruption cases unveiled by the bodies concerned in conformity with the state policy that gives no immunity to anyone.

He said he defied anyone to prove that the state has provided protection to any corrupt, adding that ministers, governors or even heads of public institutions involved in corruption cases were tracked down.

As for the constitutional amendments to be referred to him by the People's Assembly regarding parliamentary elections system, giving the assembly the right to withdraw the governments' vote of confidence, President Mubarak said the amendments have not reached him yet.

The perfect system might be a combination of the list system and the individual seat system, he said. The matter will be thoroughly probed from the legal and constitutional aspects before sanctioning any new system, he added.

The issue of expanding the People's Assembly's authority in the coming stage is necessary being one of the prerequisites of political reform, he said."

However, withdrawal of the vote of confidence is not the right thing to do in terms of expanding the assembly's authorities, he said. The country's circumstances do not afford to meddle with democracy and make it come down to ousting governments, he added.

At such tough stage of construction and development, which requires true stability, this would be considered a luxury we cannot afford, he said.

Asked about the post of vice president, President Mubarak said according to the Egyptian constitution, the post of vice president is not obligatory, adding that the majority of
Republican regimes in the world are void of such post.

Taking the United States as an example is not right because there is no prime minister.
The US President, as head of the executive authority, therefore gives the vice president some authorities that are usually given to the prime minister in countries where there is no vice president, the President clarified.

He voiced concern that such post would lead to conflicts that might stumble the process of national action.

As for why the President did not intervene in the judiciary crisis, President Mubarak declined to call the matter a crisis, asserting full respect for the judges.

He explained that there is a great difference between the crisis of the judges and the crisis of the press and that was why he had to intervene.

Asked about the performance of the government in light of wide-ranging criticism, he pointed out that he is following up its achievements day after day and that he will never be lenient with any negligence.

President Mubarak expressed belief in peace, adding that despite some terrorist attempts against tourist facilities in Sinai the situation now is reassuring.

Previous Stories:
  Mubarak: I reject imprisonment of journalists   (7/12/2006)
  Sorour says new law supports journalists freedom   (7/10/2006)
  Integrated plan to support limited-income brackets   (7/8/2006)

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