CAIRO: “We've lost seven months since the start of the revolution due to the ruling military council's mismanagement; but despite this, our revolution will succeed and we will learn from the mistakes of others,” presidential hopeful Mohamed ElBaradei said Thursday. However, any calls for the military to step down are irrational and emotional, ElBaradei said in a televised interview, stressing that if trust in the army is lost then Egypt will lose out. He did say that he expects the army to leave once power is handed over to a civilian authority, adding that presidential elections will likely take place during the last quarter of 2012, when the constitution is drafted. As for his candidacy for president, ElBaradei said he would accept any position in Egypt that gives him the power to work with a team to salvage the nation. Widely criticized for his lack of presence in the Egyptian street, ElBaradei said he froze his election campaign four months ago and is instead working on a program aiming to revitalize the Egyptian economy. “I want to serve my country so why should I declare [every little thing] I am doing? For example, a few days ago I did not publicize my visit to the British Minister of Commerce along with 35 British companies to study the possibility of investment opportunities in Egypt,” he said, stressing that he does not think much about presidential elections, but rather about helping the country get back on track. Commenting on the performance of political parties, ElBaradei said their latest actions have made people lose confidence in the country's political elite, who have emerged without a vision. None of the parties are discussing the rights of farmers or the trade unions' law — both of which are vital in the strive for social justice — but are rather running after their personal interests, he said. Ordinary citizens have lost faith in the revolution because they have not yet seen the fruits of their work, and are only seeing the negative aspects, he added. He also questioned the motive behind the military council's amending the election law in contradiction with the will of political parties. As for Egypt's sluggish economy, he said that with a third of foreign reserves used up and in the context of the downward spiral coupled with lack of security, the economy is in critical condition. Still, he said, its “inappropriate” to hasten the recovery process, adding that Egyptians will not feel the benefits of the revolution before two years time. He called on leaders of the transitional period to adopt a development incentive program to meet the needs of farmers, workers and many in underprivileged communities. “The caretaker government should have adopted these resolutions, however the current one is impotent given its lack of power,” he said. ElBaradei also called for an end to religious and tribal intolerance, saying that “Religion is for God but the nation is for all.”
