Egypt: Pressure on MPs who reject citizenship bill to resign

Egyptian politicians have called on their country’s parliamentarians to resign after their vote to approve a controversial draft bill which allows granting citizenship to foreigners in return for a bank deposit.

According to local media, the House of Representatives approved last Monday a draft law submitted by the government to amend the law on entry, residence and nationality of foreigners. The approved law grants citizenship to foreigners in exchange for a deposit of at least EGP seven million (about $ 393,000) for five years. The new law has been made, according to officials and media, for the purpose of enhancing investment in Egypt.

Read: Egypt parliament approves granting citizenship in exchange for financial deposit

Political activist Dr Yahya Al-Qazzaz, who works as a professor at Egypt’s Faculty of Science, Helwan University, demanded that the MPs, who have rejected the decision, resign if they are serious in their point of view. A number of MPs threatened to resign after the agreement to give up Tiran and Sanafir to Saudi Arabia was signed but then retreated from their position.