PM issues National Press Authority statute

CAIRO, July 22 (MENA) - Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli issued on Monday the statute of the National Press Authority.

Under the eight-article statute, the authority is entitled to run all national press institutions and take measures to develop their exploited and unexploited assets.

The authority is also authorized to take whatever decisions to guarantee the independence of national press institutions and their commitment to professional and administrative standards.

The statute also requires from the authority to create a mechanism to follow up the economic and administrative performance of national press institutions.

The authority is also entitled to place regulations governing the appointment of board chairmen of these press institutions and some members of the institutions' general assemblies.

The general assembly of any national press institution includes appointed and elected members.

The authority is also responsible for setting allowances taken by heads and members of the general assemblies and creating a mechanism to settle conflicts that might emerge between national press institutions.

According to the eighth article of the statute, any national press institution will conduct necessary studies for issuing a new newspaper then refer these studies to the authority that will take whatever it deems appropriate.

If approved, the request to issue a new newspaper will be referred to the Supreme Council for Media Regulation to issue necessary license.