Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri defended his cabinet's performance to reporters on Wednesday, saying it has been on a “suicide” mission over the last six months, but that its achievements have been remarkable.
Egypt's ruling military council appointed Ganzouri as prime minister in late November to calm protesters following violent clashes in Tahrir Square, but he was rejected by revolutionary forces.
In March, Islamist lawmakers voted to begin steps to withdraw confidence from the military-appointed government after disputes between the Islamist-dominated Parliament and the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.
In the press conference, Ganzouri stated that, “39 policemen were wounded during that period, and six ministers got sick or had surgery.” But the Cabinet nonetheless managed to improve the economic situation and restore order, he claimed.
“120 resolutions were issued with another 100 in the provinces, and 18 meetings were held with Parliament,” he said.
“About 6,200 fugitives from prisons were arrested, as well as 100 gangs and 3,600 drug dealers with 19,000 tons of marijuana. 95 million liters of diesel and 260 butane gas cylinders were seized from the black market,” Ganzouri added.
The prime minister attributed the fuel shortage, one of the biggest crises of the last six months, to rumors, failure on the part of the General Petroleum Authority to oversee some 2,660 supply stations on a daily basis, and on gas stations that he accused of stockpiling fuel to sell for higher prices on the black market.
Ganzouri also said that the foreign reserve rose in May after having fallen every month since the uprising that ousted Hosni Mubarak in early 2011.
On Wednesday, the Central Bank said that foreign reserves climbed to US$15.52 billion at the end of May, up from $15.21 billion at the end of April.
