Egypt's parliament approves revised election lawApril 11, 2013 - 21:44 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Egypt's parliament approved a revised election law on Thursday, April 11 setting rules for a parliamentary poll later this year, but opposition politicians denounced the new statute and repeated a threat to boycott the vote, Reuters said. The Islamist-dominated upper house will now send the text to the Supreme Constitutional Court to check the legality of the voting procedures for a new lower house. The court has 45 days to review the bill. President Mohamed Mursi, an Islamist elected last year, originally called elections for April but postponed them when the court annulled the decree setting the dates. Mursi has said elections could now begin in October, completing the democratic transition from the rule of ousted autocrat Hosni Mubarak after more than two years of political and economic turmoil. However, opposition members told Reuters they believed the upper house's passage of a flawed law showed that Mursi and his Islamist allies were determined to press ahead without seeking a national consensus. A separate court ruling last year dissolved the Muslim Brotherhood-led lower chamber elected in 2011-12. The opposition National Salvation Front, a loose alliance of leftist and liberal parties, had said it would boycott the April elections, arguing that the law was rigged to suit Islamists and demanding a neutral government to guarantee a fair vote. Members of the opposition alliance said the adoption of the new law gave them no reason to participate in the polls. 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 | Your home is in Armenia – Ameriabank offers mortgage loans for the Diaspora To buy real estate, Diasporans can apply to Ameriabank online to buy, renovate or build a home anywhere in Armenia. Armenia-Qatar ties discussed in Doha The Secretary of Armenia’s Security Council met with the Deputy Secretary General of the National Security Council of Qatar. ARARAT special evening dedicated to Aznavour's 100th Anniv. On May 20 ARARAT legendary Armenian brandy, celebrated the centennial of Maestro Charles Aznavour with a special event. Surveying works underway in Armenia’s Kirants Surveying works are underway in the Armenian village of Kirants in the northern Tavush province. |