Naguib Sawiris, Coptic telecommunications tycoon and co-founder of the Free Egyptians Party, announced his opposition to the million-strong march scheduled for Friday. Activists and revolutionary groups called for a demonstration on Friday against any attempt to pardon corrupt figures, especially the former President Hosni Mubarak. They also called for organizing peaceful marches and staging sit-ins until the former president and corrupt officials are tried publicly. “What Egypt needs right now is to reinstate security and peace in order to push the wheels of production, as the Egyptian economy is on the brink of collapse,” Sawiris said in a statement to reporters on Wednesday. Sawiris' words came after Islamists similarly announced their opposition to Friday's demonstration. Muslim Brotherhood (MB) announced that it would stage counter protests in Alexandria against the so-called “Second Friday of Anger,” scheduled for 27 May in Tahrir Square and other locations. Sawiris praised the 25 January revolution, saying it returned dignity and liberty to all Egyptians. He criticized attempts by some to exploit the revolution. He also warned against using million-strong demonstrations to drive a wedge between the armed forces and the people. Sawiris refused to accuse all businessmen of corruption, adding that many honest businessmen have created job opportunities for Egyptians, and stressed the importance of private sector in pushing forward the Egyptian economy during this critical stage. Translated from the Arabic Edition
