CAIRO: Egypt’s National Election Authority is looking into the possibility of imposing a fine on eligible voters who abstained from voting in the recent presidential election.
Local newspapers were reporting on Wednesday that the authority is contemplating enforcing the provisions of a law to impose LE500 ($28) on eligible voters who refrained from casting their ballots.
It also renewed calls on Egyptian people to take part in the election and “practice their free choice,” a report by Al-Masry El-Youm said.
The authority explained that they will implement the provisions of Article 43 of Law No. 22 of 2014 on the Regulation of the Presidential Elections, which stipulates: “A fine not exceeding five hundred pounds shall be imposed on any person whose name is listed in the database of registered voters and fails to vote in the presidential elections without an excuse.”
Meanwhile, its been reported that the governor of Egypt’s New Valley will allocate LE15 million for the top five villages with the highest voter turnout in the elections.
Mohamed Zamlout said these funds will be dedicated to implementing service projects to meet the demands and needs of the residents.
The first village will receive LE5 million, provided that 75 percent of its eligible voters will cast their vote. While the second village will be allocated LE4 million, and so on.
As voting went into the third and final day on Wednesday, turnout was seen as the critical factor in the election.
Two sources monitoring the election, including one from the National Election Commission, said about 13.5 percent of 59 million eligible voters had cast ballots on Monday.
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Election authority looking into fining eligible Egyptians who refused vote
Election authority looking into fining eligible Egyptians who refused vote
Hamas says path for Gaza must begin with end to ‘aggression’
GAZA CITY: Discussions on Gaza’s future must begin with a total halt to Israeli “aggression,” Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas said after US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace met for the first time.
“Any political process or any arrangement under discussion concerning the Gaza Strip and the future of our Palestinian people must start with the total halt of aggression, the lifting of the blockade, and the guarantee of our people’s legitimate national rights, first and foremost their right to freedom and self-determination,” Hamas said in a statement Thursday.
Trump’s board met for its inaugural session in Washington on Thursday, with a number of countries pledging money and personnel to rebuild the Palestinian territory, more than four months into a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted however that Hamas must disarm before any reconstruction begins.
“We agreed with our ally the US that there will be no reconstruction of Gaza before the demilitarization of Gaza,” Netanyahu said.
The Israeli leader did not attend the Washington meeting but was represented by his foreign minister Gideon Saar.
Trump said several countries, mostly in the Gulf, had pledged more than seven billion dollars to rebuild the territory.
Muslim-majority Indonesia will take a deputy commander role in a nascent International Stabilization Force, the unit’s American chief Major General Jasper Jeffers said.
Trump, whose plan for Gaza was endorsed by the UN Security Council in November, also said five countries had committed to providing troops, including Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo and Albania.
“Any political process or any arrangement under discussion concerning the Gaza Strip and the future of our Palestinian people must start with the total halt of aggression, the lifting of the blockade, and the guarantee of our people’s legitimate national rights, first and foremost their right to freedom and self-determination,” Hamas said in a statement Thursday.
Trump’s board met for its inaugural session in Washington on Thursday, with a number of countries pledging money and personnel to rebuild the Palestinian territory, more than four months into a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted however that Hamas must disarm before any reconstruction begins.
“We agreed with our ally the US that there will be no reconstruction of Gaza before the demilitarization of Gaza,” Netanyahu said.
The Israeli leader did not attend the Washington meeting but was represented by his foreign minister Gideon Saar.
Trump said several countries, mostly in the Gulf, had pledged more than seven billion dollars to rebuild the territory.
Muslim-majority Indonesia will take a deputy commander role in a nascent International Stabilization Force, the unit’s American chief Major General Jasper Jeffers said.
Trump, whose plan for Gaza was endorsed by the UN Security Council in November, also said five countries had committed to providing troops, including Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo and Albania.
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