Demonstrators in front of parliament announced they were considering escalating their protests due to the recent temperature increase, which has caused heat exhausation among several of the protesters. The government has done little to address their problems, the protesters argued.
For the third consecutive day, workers from Amonsito were protesting in front of the Shura Council, and chanting against Youssef Boutros-Ghali, minister of Finance, saying, “Where did Boutros-Ghali go? He’s sitting playing Atari.” The workers said officials from the Bank of Egypt told them that the president of the Tax Authority, who was present for the signing of the agreement which led to the end of their first sit-in last March, was now saying the Tax Authority must receive all outstanding payments from the Amonsito factory before the workers will receive the compensation awarded to them under the agreement.
The workers decided to split into two groups, with one group protesting in front of parliament and the other in front of the Bank of Egypt. They are demanding that the previous agreement be implemented.
Meanwhile, workers from the Nubaria Company for Agricultural Mechanization performed prayers in front of the People’s Assembly yesterday. They said they hope that the heat wave will motivate officials to notice their presence. They workers are demanding the company be reopened so they can return to their jobs.
Workers from the Telephone Equipment Company announced their utter rejection of what they described as schemes being hatched to liquidate the company. Protesters criticized Aisha Abdel Hadi, minister of manpower and immigration, saying her principal duty as minister was to keep workers employed in the factories and out of unemployment lines. The workers said the factory was contributing millions of Egyptian pounds to the state treasury before it was sold to a foreign investor. Their principal demand is that the company be reopened.
The “Group of 45” continued their sit-in in front of the People’s Assembly demanding that the judicial rulings calling for their appointment as assistant representatives in the State Litigation Authority be implemented. The group argued that they were fired without reason, despite all of them being top students and many of them having doctorates.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
