CAIRO: Prime Minister Kamal El-Ganzoury announced that 669 of the martyrs' families have received compensation along with 3,200 of the injured, promising that the rest will be compensated before Jan. 25. These include the martyrs and injured from Maspero, Mohamed Mahmoud and the Cabinet clashes that took place over the past three months. At a press conference Thursday, El-Ganzoury said his national salvation government has been working on forming a national council dedicated to the revolution's martyrs and injured, but that objections by youth activists have been impeding the process. The Cabinet also approved the formation of the National Council for Women and referred it to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) for final approval, he added. As for the pending anniversary of the January 25 uprising, the premier said that the political map started with free and fair elections and will continue with drafting the constitution by the end of next month. “We withstood autocratic rule for 60 years, we have to withstand five more months to achieve democracy,” he said, pointing out that Egyptians must celebrate and take pride in Jan. 25 as they did last year. Regarding the economic situation, El-Ganzoury reiterated that Egypt is seeking foreign aid. “We are asking for cooperation, not assistance,” he said, adding that Egypt stood by other countries during their hardships. However, the prime minister also said that they will not stand idly by waiting for this cooperation. The government is currently working on settlement plans with investors, revaluing land previously sold at cheap prices and paying the state the difference. El-Ganzoury also announced at the press conference following the Cabinet meeting that a draft law is underway for establishing an authority for the development of Sinai. “This is a body that has all the authorities in Sinai and can make decisions without referring back to the prime minister,” he said. El-Ganzoury also criticized the ongoing protests, such as the one in Qena, where protestors cut off the railway. “If an official acts after having their arm twisted then they are not responsible. “Sector-specific demands are accepted but without disrupting activity,” he said, adding that according to the criminal law Article 167, disrupting the flow of transportation is punishable by jail.
