Sisi applauds Egyptian people’s understanding of economic reform decisions

CAIRO - 21 June 2017: President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi applauded the Egyptian people's awareness and understanding of decisions taken by the government in the framework of the economic reform program, presidential spokesman Alaa Youssef said.

During an Iftar banquet of the Egyptian family, the president said the country has no other option but taking steps to reform economy, saying he believes in the people’s ability to afford measures adopted by the government for that purpose, the spokesman said.

The banquet was attended by Prime Minister Sherif Ismail, Grand Imam Ahmed el Tayyeb, Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria and a group of lawmakers and public figures.

The president said he cannot relinquish any Egyptian land, following outcry over the parliament’s approval of a maritime demarcation deal between Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which places two Red Sea islands in the Saudi waters.

"Nations cannot be sold or bought, and countries should be governed by law,” Sisi said.

"You have entrusted me to this country and I will be held accountable not only by you but after all before the God," he added.

The president stressed that those who oppose the deal have the right to express their opinions, Youssef said.

Sisi asserted that he did not agree to some opinions to postpone debating the deal until after the upcoming presidential elections, the spokesman noted.

He called on Egyptians not to designate each other as traitors. “We are in a mission to rescue a nation and the danger still exists,” he added.

"We will not forgive terror fundraisers, who use their money to kill our children and destroy our homeland," President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi said.

The president also urged the world countries to take a firm stance against terrorism-sponsoring states.

He also accused such states of pumping billions of dollars to carry out terrorist attacks and provide terrorists with weapons to destroy our nation.

President Sisi said that the government spares no effort to protect the low-income people from impacts caused by the country's economic reform plan to improve their quality of life.

For this purpose, the state has raised pensions and raised the base salary for public employees who are not covered by the country's civil service law, the president said.

During the Iftar banquet which was attended by ministers and public figures, the president added that individual's share in ration card would be increased from EGP 21 to EGP 50.

Fund needed for the increase would jump to EGP 85 billion, the president said, adding it would be linked to the ration card.