Beltagy: Differences Over Constituent Assembly Exaggerated

Dr. Mohamed Beltagy, member of the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) Parliamentary Commission in the People’s Assembly, said that the logical battle of lies in the final chapter of the transitional phase, with three main scenes "the Constitution, the government, the presidency"; and it certainly is not amongst the political forces and stakeholders, but between all of them on the one hand, and the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) on the other.

In a blog post on Facebook, Dr. Beltagy added that the contrived battle about the Constitution, between secularists and Islamists, is a hoax, a fictitious, imaginary battle that only materialized due to extreme sensitivity and lack of confidence amongst the parties concerned, while the real battle is about parliamentary oversight of constitutional, military, intelligence and security institutions as well as the powers of the forthcoming president.

Further, Dr. Beltagy stressed that the ongoing battle between Parliament and SCAF on dismissal or survival of the interim government is not only about putting an end to repeated crises fabricated by this government, which is putting at risk both the present and the future of this homeland, but – indeed the whole essence of the battle – is whether SCAF is really going to relinquish the interior, foreign, finance and Justice portfolios – the State’s core power components –to a civilian government over which it has no control?"

Moreover, the FJP leader explained that the real battle for the presidency is not among Islamist and non-Islamist candidates, nor is it amongst Islamists themselves, but between the candidates who do not accept that SCAF would rule from behind a curtain and those who are accept the idea or are not much concerned about it.

Furthermore, Dr. Beltagy warned, "We all have to pay attention to the real battle, so as not to suddenly find the last mile of the transition ending with frustration of the dream that we nurtured for decades, and we started seeing it realized on the ground on the 25th of January 2011. We must pay very close attention, so as not to lose our way. Responsibility lies with everyone; although Islamists bear the heaviest part of it".

In conclusion, Dr. Beltagy stressed that passing safely through the transitional phase’s three main scenes could move with the revolution onto safety shores, or take Egypt – God forbid – back to square one.