Egyptian newspapers today reported that Deputy Egyptian Minister of Finance for Insurance Affairs today tendered his resignation; the international chief arbitrator Cherif Bassiouni expects that the trials for former regime figures will end up in acquittals; and the former chairman of the al-Wafd Party today claimed that the parliamentary elections will be abolished Youm7 Groups calling for a religious state will not succeed during the upcoming elections and will not have a majority in the parliament, said prominent scholar El-Sayed Yasin. The idea of political isolation should not be applied on an entire party, he said, adding that it should instead be applied on those who corrupted political life. Breaking apart a road is not a revolutionary act, it is an act of vandalism, he said. “Those who attack the army are traitors.” Al-Ahram The Salafi Light Party has the best chance in the next parliamentary election, particularly in Lower Egypt and Alexandria, said the Party's Chairman Emad Abdul Ghafour. The Party will run for 70 percent of the seats allocated on the list system, and it will run for the individual seats according to the agreements hammered out with the other parties, he added. Al-Masry Al-Youm Popular pressure to expedite the trials of former regime officials led to hasty investigations, and could result in acquittals, said criminal law expert at DePaul University College in Chicago Cherif Bassiouni. Political powers in Egypt struggle for their own interests only and are not thinking about Egypt's future, Bassiouni said. If the economy remains in its current deteriorated state, a hunger revolution could erupt, he added. Al-Akhbar The absence of security and flagging economy may end up cancelling the upcoming elections, said former Chairman of the al-Wafd Party Mahmoud Abaza. Al-Akhbar also reported that the potential presidential candidate Al-Awwa today presented a CD to concerned parties allegedly revealing the role of instigators during the Maspiro clashes. Al-Shorouq Iran is ready to review American allegations that it is behind the assassination attempt of the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States. Iran asked American officials to reveal evidence confirming these allegations.
