The Muslim Brotherhood attacked the Supreme Council of Armed Forces and the current cabinet for their management of the country Saturday.
In a strongly worded statement, the Brotherhood said the military council's insistence on backing the current cabinet raises suspicions about the integrity of the presidential elections and the referendum on the new constitution.
In its statement, the Brotherhood also offered some self-praise for its handling of the interim period.
“The Brotherhood dealt with the transitional phase after the revolution in a wise manner, envisaging the interests of the people and the nation,” it said.
To complete the transition, the group said the military council should hand over power to institutions enshrined in the country’s new constitution.
But the harshest rhetoric was reserved for the current cabinet and Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri.
"When we asked the cabinet to resign, the prime minister rejected in determination and, unfortunately, the military junta supported that,” the statement said. “This raises doubts about the secrets behind holding on to failure and losers."
The statement added, "Is it a desire to abort the revolution and [drive people to believe] they are incapable of achieving their goals? Or a desire to rig the presidential elections?"
The Muslim Brotherhood also criticized the Constitutional Court for implying that the People's Assembly is unconstitutional, saying the military council was interfering in judicial affairs.
"Is the Constitutional Court submissive to the executive authority?” the statement said. “ Is it the law and the constitution that governs the relationship between state authorities or threats and the manipulation of the constitution?"
In the statement, the Brotherhood also threatened that if conditions in the country do not improve and corruption is not stifled, Egyptians will rise up in a second revolution.
“The people are capable of, and ready to move and recreate another revolution, to protect and save this vessel, before it sinks to the bottom at the hands of people who cannot handle this great legal and national responsibility," it said.
The Brotherhood also said that the current cabinet seeks to squander the state’s funds, in order to leave the state treasury empty for the cabinet that succeeds it.
The group also criticized the cabinet's negotiations for a US$3.2 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund, and accused leaders of inventing the diesel, gasoline and bread crises currently plaguing the country.
"All that is designed to put obstacles in the way of those elected by the people,” it said. “Implementation and action remains in the hands of those losers and revolution-haters, while the people demand that the MPs improve the situation. But people are not going to live on talk, freedom or legislation alone.”
Ganzouri's cabinet should be dismissed, the group said. It also called on citizens to face a conspiracy it said intended to abort the revolution, harm Egypt's national interests, and devastate the economy, all with the help of foreign parties.
"There is a secular and leftist campaign against the formation of the constituent assembly of the constitution,” it said. “All of these people have no respect for the democratic principles nor its norms which they have long sung and by which they have long given us a headache."
The Brotherhood accused the secular movement of abiding by democratic principles only when it suited their interests.
“What if these people had a majority in the parliament, would they do what they say?” the statement asked. “Would they would adhere to the rules and principles of democracy then? "
Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm
