Interim prime minister is asked to explain appointment of "corrupt" ministers

The interim prime minister of Egypt has been asked by a prominent journalist why his government includes “corrupt” ministers. Hamdy Qandeel called on Hazem Al-Beblawi to offer an explanation for his choices.

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The decision to include several ministers who have been accused of corruption or have strong links with the Mubarak regime has caused a lot of discontent in Egypt. They are, in popular terms, “remnants” of the Mubarak era which was supposed to have been ended by the January 25 Revolution.

Qandeel pointed out on twitter that the new aviation minister Abdul-Aziz Fadel, who was head of Egypt Air’s maintenance section, was accused along with the ex-aviation minister Atef abdul-Hamid of stealing EGP4.8 million (around £450,000). Both face charges of gaining interests illegally but were acquitted after they paid that huge sum of money back.