In Parliament next week

CAIRO – 31 May 2018: With a busy week in Parliament over, Egypt Today provides a wrap up of the topics coming to Parliament next week. You can also find our comprehensive wrap up of this week’s proceedings

here

.

Religious Affairs and Endowments Committee in Parliament to discuss the issue of public fatwa and the renewal of religious discourse next week

The Committee on Religious Affairs and Endowments in the House of Representatives, headed by Dr. Osama Al-Abd, will hold six meetings next week, starting June 3, 2018, with the aim of concluding on some draft laws, most notably the draft of the General Fatwa Law, the draft law of Dar Al Ifta, as well as conducting a number of briefing sessions.

The Religious Affairs Committee will hold two meetings next Monday to discuss a request for a briefing on the demolition of the primary religious institute in the Sohag governorate four years ago; the institute has not been re-built as of yet. It will also discuss a request for a briefing on: the neglect of the Quran memorization centres in various parts of Egypt; handing over the land of Al-Azhar University in the new city of Burj Al-Arab to Al-Azhar University; and discussing a request for a briefing on the installation of surveillance cameras in the Azhar institutes (inside and outside the classrooms).

During its meetings on Tuesday, the committee will discuss a request for a briefing on the limited amount of imams, workers and mosque mattresses, as well as the poor maintenance in the mosques of the Minya governorate.

Communications and Information Technology Committee schedules meeting to discuss draft law on General Authority for Support and Decision-Making

The Communications and Information Technology Committee in the House of Representatives scheduled a meeting June 7 to complete the discussion of the draft law submitted by MP Mohammed Khalifa and ten members of the House of Representatives on the General Authority for Support and Decision-Making. It is expected that a preliminary approval will come shortly after said hearing.

The decision to schedule a meeting on June 7 came after MP Khalifa revealed that he will make some amendments in the draft law, as a result of what he heard from the representative of the Ministry of Communications and the President of the Center for Support and Decision-Making.

Four requests for a briefing for the Minister of Electricity in front of Energy and Environment Committee in parliament next Tuesday

Energy and Environment Committee of the House of Representatives, headed by Engineer Talaat al-Sewedy, will hold a meeting Tuesday morning to discuss a number of issues that came in briefings submitted by Members of Parliament for the attention of Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mohammed Shaker.

Multiple requests for briefing have been submitted, notably one by Member of Parliament Salah Shawky Akel for the failure of the Sohag electricity sector

Most notably, there was a request from MP Wafaa Salah Shawqi Aqeel for the failure of the Sohag electricity sector, represented in the electrical engineering of Tama, in implementing high pressure conversion cables in Al-Atamna Village, Sohag, despite it being included in the strategic plan for financial year 2017/18.

Social Solidarity Committee in Parliament pushed meetings to week starting June 3

The Social Solidarity Committee of the House of Representatives has postponed the three meetings previously scheduled to take place Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week, to next week.

The Social Solidarity Committee of the House of Representatives will hold meetings on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to discuss a number of draft laws, foremost of which is the consideration of the Prime Minister's decision on the draft law concerning the National Council for People with Special Needs.

The committee will open its three scheduled meetings Tuesday by discussing the government's decision to issue the National Council for People with Special Needs and will look at a draft law submitted by the deputies in this regard.

Invitations to attend the meetings were extended to the Ministries of Justice, Finance and Social Solidarity and representatives of the National Council for Disability Affairs.

The committee will also discuss the draft law of the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood submitted by a number of MPs. The committee will conclude its meetings Thursday, discussing a draft law submitted by one of the MPs on the establishment of the National Council for the Care of Orphans Affairs and their guardians.

Notably:

President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi will take the constitutional oath of office for his second term on Saturday.

Parliament Speaker Ali Abdel Aal ordered all members to convene on June 2 at 10:30 a.m. to attend the oath stipulated by Article 144 of the constitution.

The event will be the first of its kind witnessed by the Parliament since former President Hosni Mubarak took the oath in 2005. Sisi’s first oath was performed at the Constitutional Court in 2014.

As part of the final preparations for the special session expected to be held next Saturday, June 2, that will witness current President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi taking the oath for his second term in office, the buildings of the parliament adorned the Egyptian flag.

MP Salah Hasaballah, the media spokesman for the House of Representatives, confirmed that the House of Representatives is ready for President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi to take the oath of office for his second term as Head of State, scheduled for early next week; all organizational procedures have been completed and all Members of Parliament are expected to be present during the oath.

Hasaballah also said that the media is one of the bridges between the Council and the Egyptians; it acts as a tool to clarify the council’s legislation and process, explains Hasaballah.

In a press conference to review the achievements of parliament, Hasaballah stressed that the state and the government has to take many difficult decisions, however, those decisions are in the interest of the citizen. The spokesperson added that the House has high hopes and aspirations to provide a high-quality life for the citizen.

Hasaballah added that there are a number of questions presented to the House, and that these questions will be on the agenda during the coming period. He further pointed out that pointing out that a number of ministers did not work to the level aspired for by the House, while others were very active and communicated excellently with Members of Parliament; Hasaballah confirmed that assessments of the performance of ministers was objective, not personal.