Parliament Speaker Saad al-Katatny cancelled a session scheduled to discuss the NGO illegal funding issue on Sunday evening to protest the absence of a representative of Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri’s government.
The representative was to respond to questions about the defendants in the case being allowed to leave the country before their trial.
On 1 March, six Americans left Egypt after a travel ban was lifted. They were among the 43 employees of nonprofit groups accused of using illegal foreign funds to foment unrest in Egypt.
The move sparked anger within the Egyptian public, and Egypt’s military rulers were accused of bowing to American pressures.
However, the Islamist-dominated Parliament shifted criticism to the government, which says it has nothing to do with lifting the travel ban.
“If the representative does not show up tomorrow, we will take action,” Katatny said, accusing the government of deliberately disrupting Parliament’s agenda.
The US threatened to cut off aid to Egypt over the issue. Now the Parliament is moving to take the initiative by voting to reject further American aid.
In the morning session, the MPs called for withdrawing confidence from the government and for a vote on stopping US aid, complaining that the US is disregarding Egypt's sovereignty.
MPs have demanded the return of Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman, a leader in Jama'a al-Islamiya, and all other Egyptian detainees in US prisons.
"I hope Congress is listening now to know that the Parliament of the revolution will not allow any violation of Egyptian sovereignty," he said.
