Former Prime Minister and presidential hopeful Ahmed Shafiq criticized presidential hopeful Mohamed ElBaradei on Saturday, saying Baradei must have a greater sense of responsibility toward Egypt during the transition phase and not provoke trivial problems.
On Wednesday, Baradei wrote on his Twitter account: “When Mubarak’s prime minister [Shafiq], who was ousted by the revolution, announces his intention to run for the presidency of revolutionary Egypt, this means the former regime is still alive."
Shafiq said in an interview with the London-based Asharq Al-Awsat on Saturday, "I say to Baradei: Pay attention to your own business… Have a higher sense of responsibility. The country cannot bear the trivial things taking place right now… It is not for you to say who is worthy of running for the presidency and who is not… The Egyptian citizen is the one who will decide."
Shafiq announced his intention to run for president on Friday in the Nile Delta governorate of Menoufiya.
He explained that he had not yet decided on the official start date of his election campaign, noting that he might withdraw from the presidential race if a more appropriate candidate for the job came up.
Former President Hosni Mubarak appointed Shafiq as prime minister after the outbreak of the 25 January revolution last winter. Shafiq remained in office for three weeks after the overthrow of Mubarak. Protesters in Tahrir Square demanded the removal of all senior figures in the Mubarak regime, including Shafiq, and he was sacked by Egypt's de facto military rulers in a cabinet reshuffle.
Shafiq, 70, largely disappeared from the public spotlight since that time.
He was the Commander of the Egyptian Air Force before Mubarak appointed him as minister of civil aviation from 2002 until 29 January 2011.
During the newspaper interview, Shafiq defended the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, saying the military was "the father who protected the revolution." He said that the revolution in Egypt was a real revolution, not just an uprising, and that young people succeeded in laying its foundations.
On the subject of Hosni Mubarak's trial, he said: "Former President Hosni Mubarak made a serious mistake when it came to his son [Gamal]… His son was a calamity for him, his family and the whole country."
