Ex-PM Ahmed Shafiq disqualified from Egypt presidential electionApril 25, 2012 - 14:12 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq is the latest candidate to be disqualified from Egypt's presidential election, BBC News reported. Mr Shafiq was barred by the electoral commission on Tuesday, April 24 under an amended law that prevents senior officials from the Hosni Mubarak era from standing. The law was only ratified by the ruling military council on Tuesday, two days before the commission was due to announce the final list of candidates. From an original shortlist of 23, only 12 candidates remain in the race. Mr Mubarak's former vice-president and spy chief, Omar Suleiman, was disqualified for different reasons, along with two Islamists, Khairat al-Shater of the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafist Hazem Abu Ismail. The amendment to the law governing political rights was rushed through the Islamist-dominated parliament after Mr Suleiman announced he was standing, and unexpectedly endorsed by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf). It bars from the presidency anyone who served in senior positions in government and the ruling National Democratic Party under President Mubarak in the decade before he was forced to step down in 2011. The list of positions does not include that of minister, so it did not derail the candidacy of Amr Moussa, who was Mr Mubarak's foreign minister until 2001 before becoming the Arab League's secretary general. The amendment did, however, lead to the disqualification of Mr Shafiq, a former air force commander and cabinet minister who was prime minister in the last days of Mr Mubarak's rule and served briefly under the Scaf. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Lemkin Institute petition seeks release of Armenians in Azerbaijan The Lemkin Institute is deeply concerned about the continued illegal detention of political prisoners from Karabakh in Azerbaijan. Armenian Catholicos calls for national unity against threats Karekin II issued a message on Republic Day marking the anniversary of the First Armenian Republic. Pashinyan: Armenia’s desired goal is “on the horizon” Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said that Armenia is moving forward “without interruption”. Opposition leader, supporters spend night at Sardarapat memorial Police made nearly 300 arrests the day before as Galstanyan and his supporters continued to demonstrate in Yerevan. |