The Shura Council on Wednesday 10/1/2007evening pursued discussing President Hosni Mubarak's call for amending 34 articles of the constitution.

Lawmaker Refaat Bakr highlighted President Mubarak's keenness to promote citizens' rights and provide necessary guarantees for achieving transparency of the parliamentary elections.

MP Helmi Abdel-Sattar said that the proposed amendments held the promise of ending the clout of money over the electoral process, and other related negative phenomena such as thuggery.

The amendments also aim to guarantee fairness' of the elections and continue judicial supervision of the polls, he said, calling for scrapping all freedom-restricting laws.

Discussions by the Shura Council members highlighted the importance of the proposed constitutional amendments.

The lawmakers said that President Mubarak's proposed amendments aimed to shield the country against dangers. The amendments are also meant to promote decentralization in the local administration, combat terrorism and choose a new electoral system that guarantees better representation of parties and women in the political life, they added.

Shura Council Speaker Safwat El-Sherif dismissed claims that the mid-term elections of the Shura Council would be unconstitutional if held under the current electoral system.

The constitutional amendments will not stipulate a specific electoral system; rather, there would be a text allowing the legislator to choose any electoral system, he added.

Sherif noted that the mid-term elections of the Shura Council would be held under the individual list and would comply with the Constitution. Sherif noted that the mid-term elections of the Shura Council would be held under the individual list and would comply with the Constitution.

Sherif was commenting on MP Khaled Samra who said that the mid-term polls would be unconstitutional if held under the individual list.

For her part, Minister of Manpower Aisha Abdul Hadi confirmed that the constitutional amendments proposed by President Mubarak serve as a turning point in the history of the nation. She noted Mubarak's keenness to maintain the ratio of 50% of farmers and workers as well as providing free education to help maintain the social peace. Dr. Mohamed Kamel indicated that the proposed amendments would bring about new competencies for the People's Assembly and the Shura Council and the Prime Minister.

Dr. Anwar Raslan noted that the proposed amendments are not only 34 articles, rather they extend to 49 articles given the content of the amendments and not the number of the would-be amended articles.

Dr. Mahmoud Zaqzouq, the Minister of Endowments, cited that these amendments serve as an important step, highlighting the amendment to be introduced to citizenship article so that all citizens enjoy full equality in Egypt. Dr. Zaqzouq lauded granting the woman more seats in the parliamentary assemblies and the Copts as well to participate effectively in coining the future of the nation.

Dr. Salwa Bayoumi stressed that the amendment concerning the development of the economic activity does not mean controlling the capital, rather directing the economy in a more developmental manner.

Dr. Mofeed Shehab noted that the amendments meet the aspirations of the people in more freedoms. Shehab also confirmed that the amendments aim to realize the principle of citizenship, boosting the independence of the judiciary, empowering the woman, boosting the principles of decentralization and enlarging the competencies of the People's Assembly and the Shura Council and the Cabinet as well.

Shura member Samia Shenouda said the amendments would bring about an unprecedented democratic leap in Egypt and it would realize the economic and political reform.

Engineer Sameh Fahmi, the Minister of Oil, said it is the duty of every Egyptian to maintain the environment given its importance; hence it is necessary to issue an article to help maintain the environment.