The collection of any money from Egyptian expatriates is unconstitutional, as it is a form of double taxation which is illegal, Senate member Bahaa Abu Shaqa said in response to statements attributed to him regarding his proposal to collect money from Egyptian expatriates through a new legislation.
In a Monday telephone conversation on the “al-Hekaya” program, Abu Shaqa denied the statements cited to him, assuring that the Senate members discussed providing protection and guarantees for expatriate workers.
Egyptian expatriates constitute a national wealth, because their number ranges between 12 to 14 million citizens, he said.
He stressed that he demanded the presence of a governing legal umbrella to protect Egyptians abroad from the start of travel procedures until their arrival in the town to which they are moving.
Senate member Bahaa Eddin Abu Shaqqa on Monday’s plenary session reportedly demanded the need for a legal system with specific and governing legal provisions from the state for working expats.
He demanded that expatriates return the favor to “the state that raised them up and taught them.”
“Human wealth is one of the most important resources that all countries desire to take care of, with the need for there to be a legal system that regulates those who have rights and those who have duties,” Abu Shaqa said, during a discussion of a request for a general discussion about the government’s policies in motivating Egyptian expatriates.
There are 12 million Egyptian expatriates, and the largest Egyptian community is in Saudi Arabia, at 2.5 million Egyptians, Minister of State for Immigration and Egyptian Expatriates, Soha Gendy, said in November.
During an interview with journalist Ahmed Moussa, on the “On My Responsibility” program, broadcast on Sada al-Balad channel, Gendy added there are 600,000 Egyptians in the UAE and Kuwait.
