Parliament speaker: No intention to privatize national press

CAIRO – 11 June 2018: Egyptian Parliament speaker, Ali Abdel Aal, declared that there is absolutely no intention for the privatization of national newspapers in Egypt.

Abdel Aal explained that the idea of the privatization of national newspapers was only suggested by the “10 committee” (committee made of 10 elite individuals) that was assigned to write the Egyptian constitution.

Back then, there were two approaches to be considered: Either to sell the entities and privatize them, or to assign The Consultative Council with running the entities.

Abdel Aal confirmed that because of the social circumstances the country currently faces, the idea of selling the entities has been reversed.

The National Commission of Journalism is currently running and managing the national press and its different entities, which automatically makes the General Assembly in charge of national journalism at the moment.

This came in response to MP Mustafa Bakry's statements regarding his fear of Article 35 related to the regulations of the national journalism foundation.

Bakry found Article 35 to be controversial and that it might take the national newspapers to the same destiny where Omar Afandi and other public entities ended up (Privatization).

Bakry further suggested the removal of the chief of the National commission of Journalism from being the chief of the National Assembly of National Newspapers, because competition among the newspapers should be viable.

In the same context, Parliament member Osama Haikal, in charge of the Media Committee in the Egyptian Parliament, declared that the resources of the National Journalism Commission come from governmental funds and that having the chief of the National Commission of Journalism in-charge of the General Assembly of Journalism is logical in order to run the national press.

Haikal further stated that separation of management and accounting departments is essential in order for the national press entities to continue thriving, otherwise expect a disaster.