Egypt government resigns amid corruption probeSeptember 14, 2015 - 12:02 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Egypt's government has resigned and the country's oil minister has been asked to form a new cabinet within a week, the office of President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has said. No official reason was given for the government's resignation. However, a senior source was quoted as saying the aim was to reshuffle the cabinet following a corruption scandal. Last Monday, September 7, Egypt's agriculture minister was arrested in connection with the corruption inquiry. In a statement, the presidency said Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab had delivered the government's resignation to President Sisi who accepted it. It said the president had asked outgoing oil minister Sharif Ismail to form the new cabinet within a week. The outgoing government is to play a caretaker role until then, the statement said. A senior government official quoted by AFP news agency said the reshuffle was to "pump new blood" into the government following the arrest of agriculture minister Salah Helal. Shortly before his arrest, Helal had resigned on the orders of President Sisi. Reports said the arrest was in connection with allegations that officials took bribes to help businessmen illegally acquire state land. Sisi has promised to make the fight against corruption a focus of his administration. Related links: 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 | Putin congratulates Pashinyan’s birthday Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his birthday on June 1. Opposition motorcade en route to Gyumri for large rally A motorcade of protesters headed by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan is heading to the city of Gyumri. Ruling MPs, Foreign Minister talk Armenia-Azerbaijan processes MOs from the ruling Civil Contract party met with the Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in the Armenian parliament. Russia: Armenia’s frozen membership weakens CSTO position in Caucasus A Russian envoy said any step that could alienate the CSTO member states from each other is “deeply wrong”. |