Brussels, 18/06/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 18 June, the European Union hailed the “major step forward” made with the presidential election in Egypt but called for the democratic transition process to be held in respect at a time when the military has granted itself sweeping powers.
“The presidential elections mark a major step forward in Egypt's democratic transition”, said Maja Kocijancic, the spokesperson for European High Representative for Foreign Policy, Catherine Ashton. Questions are being raised, however, on the status of parliament and of the constitutional process that could restrict progress made, she said, saying that the institutional and legal situation should be clarified as soon as possible.
“One thing is clear. Democratic transition must not be brought into question”, Ashton's spokesperson stressed. Transition must comply with the aspirations of the Egyptian people and their demands for dignity, democracy and freedom. The army in power in Egypt again promised on Monday to hand over power, by 30 June, to the new head of state chosen during the presidential elections, the second round of which was held on Saturday and Sunday.
Egypt's ruling military council, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), vowed it would transfer power to the new president by 30 June, a general said speaking at a press conference, even though the president will have little wriggle room given the far-reaching powers that the army granted itself on Sunday evening, AFP reports.
On Monday, the Muslim Brotherhood candidate, Mohammed Morsi, claimed victory in the presidential election but his rival, Ahmed Shafik, the last prime minister under Hosni Mubarak, assured that the results were still provisional but that those provisional results showed he was in the lead. On Sunday evening, the SCAF announced in an amended “constitutional declaration” that it would hold legislative power until the election of a new Assembly for the people, at an unspecified date, after Saturday's dissolution of the House of Representatives, which is dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood. (LC/transl.jl)