Egypt

Some Tahrir protesters plan to move sit-in to cabinet

Several political parties and groups said Wednesday they will move their sit-in from Tahrir Square to outside the cabinet building on Qasr al-Aini Street to protest against Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri.

Others have already been demonstrating there since Ganzouri's appointment nearly two weeks ago, saying he does not represent them.

In a statement, 11 political parties, groups and coalitions including April 6 Movement’s Democratic Front, the campaign supporting Hamdeen Sabbahi for president, the 25 January Revolution Youth Coalition, the Democratic Front, and the Egyptian Current and Awareness parties, said they reject the formation of a new government under Ganzouri and demand that power be handed over to civilians.

The signatories also called for accelerating the trials of those involved in killing protesters and for restructuring the Interior Ministry.

Meanwhile, calm prevailed in Tahrir, which was partially open to traffic despite the ongoing sit-in.

Ganzouri's cabinet is slated to be sworn in on Wednesday in front of Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) head Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, who also holds the post of defense minister.

During a press conference on Tuesday Ganzouri, who served as prime minister under then-President Hosni Mubarak from 1996 to 1999, called on political parties and forces to unite.

Earlier on Tuesday, state-run news agency MENA quoted him as saying the SCAF will grant him presidential powers.

The statement comes in the wake of criticism that the SCAF controlled former interim Prime Minister Essam Sharaf's cabinet and refused to give it any real powers.

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