Many protesters in Tahrir Square have refused the appointment of former Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri as head of the military-picked national salvation government, succeeding the government of recently resigned Prime Minister Essam Sharaf. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) accepted Sharaf's resignation on Tuesday under the pressure of ongoing protests since last Friday. The appointment of Ganzouri as new prime minister does not meet Tahrir protesters' demands, said activist Shady al-Ghazaly Harb, adding that protesters have suggested many alternate figures for the office including presidential hopefuls Mohamed ElBaradei and Abdel Moneim Abouel Fotouh. Ganzouri previously served as prime minister under former President Hosni Mubarak. The 25 January Revolution Youth Coalition also announced Thursday evening it rejected the appointment of Ganzouri as prime minister. Ganzouri's assignment ignores the demands of Tahrir protesters who want national figures that were never part of Mubarak's regime and polluted by its corruption, said the youth coalition in a Thursday statement. The statement noted that Ganzouri spent 20 years in ministerial offices during Mubarak's regime, including as deputy prime minister, planning and international cooperation minister, and prime minister. Ganzouri has strong ties with SCAF head Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, said state-run Al-Ahram newspaper on its official website. Tantawi and Ganzouri held ministerial positions in the same cabinet in 1991. Ganzouri, 77, served as prime minister from 4 January 1996 until 5 October 1999. People called him at that time "minister of opposition" and "minister of the poor" for his work to improve the conditions of low-income families. The Toshka Project was launched under Ganzouri in New Valley Governorate in southern Egypt. The project was subject to severe public criticism because ordinary citizens did not benefit from it, and the project's lands were mostly distributed among major companies, ignoring youths. Ganzouri was also criticized for his Sinai reconstruction plan, which many believe was not implemented as fast as it could have been. Press reports said a number of political forces are now refusing even the formation of a national salvation government at this stage.
