The Pharmacists Syndicate crisis escalated on Monday after the syndicate's secretary general, Mahmoud Abdel Maqsoud, signed an agreement with the Tax Authority raising the tax on cosmetics paid by pharmacists from 16 to 25 percent. The syndicate council and the syndicate head, Zakaria Gad, reject the agreement. Clashes broke out with security forces in front of the finance ministry after a delegation from the syndicate was prevented from delivering a request from Gad to the ministry. The request stated that the only person with authority to sign an agreement with the Tax Authority was the syndicate deputy. Dozens of pharmacists protested in front of the headquarters of the finance ministry while the agreement was being signed. The protesters chanted, "The strike will begin again." Saif Emam, a member of the syndicate council, said only the syndicate head or his deputy have the right to legally represent the syndicate. An urgent general assembly session might be convened to discuss the possibility of a strike, he added. Meanwhile, finance minister Youssef Boutros-Ghali defended the agreement, saying it favors pharmacists. According to Boutros-Ghali, the size of a pharmacy's business will be determined through purchase receipts or withdrawal certificates issued by pharmaceutical companies. Net profit should be 15.19 percent the value of purchase for medications, and 25 percent of the value of purchase for cosmetics. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
