Mohamed Selim al-Awa defended the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) against charges that it may not fully hand over power, in an interview published in Friday's edition of Al-Masriyoon newspaper.
When asked if he expects the SCAF to handover power on 30 July, the Islamic thinker and presidential hopeful said "Yes … I have full confidence that the junta will strictly implement what it promised."
Awa said that Egypt is "taking the only path that will lead to democracy," and described the military as "an honest patriotic institution."
He said it "deserves appreciation and respect for its great support of the revolution, and the decisions taken to meet [the revolution's] demands."
Awa has previously expressed similar sentiments. In an interview with privately-owned Al-Hayat channel on 24 November, he said that the armed forces are the best authority to run the country during the transition, and that transferring power to a civilian body should not be permitted yet.
Former US President Jimmy Carter on Wednesday cast doubt on the SCAF’s commitment to hand over power to a civilian government.
Following a meeting with Egypt's military rulers, including Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, Carter expressed doubt that the military would completely submit to a civilian government, the New York Times reported.
According to the Times, Carter said: "I don't think the SCAF is going to turn over full responsibility to the civilian government. There are going to be some privileges of the military that would probably be protected."
