CAIRO: Egyptian economists warned of the decision to apply a minimum wage bill since it will negatively affect unemployment rates and inflation. During the ‘Human Capital and the sustainable development in Egypt' symposium, Egyptian economists criticized the Egyptian government's hasty trot on the minimum wage especially amid political disorder. “It is impossible to apply the minimum wages in private sectors since it will negatively affected by 30 percent,” said Gamal Bayoumi, director of the EU-Egyptian partnership treaty program in the Ministry of International Cooperation. Meanwhile, the directors of the Egyptian Center for Economic Studies (ECES), Magda Qandil, called to put new policies concerning the bill. She justified the absences of such policies could drive to an increased inflation and State's budget deficit. She said the private sector should not adhere to apply minimum wages. Economics and Political Science professor, Manal Metwali, said minimum wages should be linked with productivity. She added there is no way to unify the policy of wages for all sectors. Minimum wages
