A newly-issued report by the semi-official Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies and the UK-based Oxfam Organization notes that official corruption has become widespread in Egypt, where it can be found at all levels of government--from junior officials to ministers and members of parliament. The report also commends the government for taking positive steps towards political reform within the last five years, especially in terms of constitutional amendment. Yet these measures, the report goes on to note, have not been in keeping with other laws and statutes. According to the report, corruption continues to permeate most official institutions, even though the government has formed special committees--and issued special decrees--aimed at combating the phenomenon. Reasons for the spread of corruption, the report states, are the absence of rule of law; the excessive power of the executive authority over the legislative branch of government; and the combination of political power and wealth. On the latter point, the report points to a number of influential businessmen to have recently become members of parliament, who have exploited their parliamentary powers to benefit their respective businesses. The report also calls for amending Article 76 of Egypt's constitution, while conceding that the article has played a role in regulating the relation between the presidential authority and the public. The report also criticizes frequent interference in national elections by the Interior Ministry. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
