Several Egyptian cities witnessed protests by citizens against government measures, especially home demolitions carried out by the authorities, claiming they are violating.
For his part, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said that the problem of random construction that the authorities are currently facing with the implementation of demolition operations goes back 40 years, and called on citizens to expedite the submission of requests for reconciliation and pay the value of settlements before the end of the period specified on September 30th.
The Prime Minister explained that the governors were instructed to take into account the social dimension, pointing out that the violating building after reconciliation becomes official and its financial value will double.
He pointed to giving new facilities to citizens, including reductions in the amount of reconciliation decided by the government on real estate and residential units.
The value of reconciliation is determined according to the area in which the real estate or housing unit is located, and it varies between cities and villages.
Reconciliation over construction violations is one of the most prominent laws issued by Parliament recently. The new law has set fines ranging between 50 and 2,000 pounds per flat meter for building violations.
According to a government report published by the local media in September, the number of violating properties in Egypt reached 2.8 million, the violating roles reached 396 thousand and 87, and the violating units reached nearly 20 million, and the last count of violating buildings in the capital Cairo recorded more than 80 thousand. And in Giza, 129 thousand buildings are different.
Madbouly also indicated - during a press conference yesterday, Wednesday - that there is a massive drain on agricultural lands, and as a result of the widespread growth, there has been an extension of the electricity and water networks in villages, indicating that 40% of the Egyptian countryside is covered by the networks, and the cost is multiplying.
In return, he explained that the state is expanding and establishing new cities in order to absorb the increase in population to provide an alternative housing for citizens, pointing out that the goal of establishing new cities is to provide housing for future generations and connect them to giant networks.
Protests
These statements came as demonstrations renewed against the government's decision to demolish and remove buildings and homes, claiming that they are a violation, and activists posted pictures on communication sites of a demonstration that took place in the Mansheya neighborhood in Alexandria against the decision and to prevent the removal of a property.
The demonstrators chanted the slogan "I don’t want you," in response to previous statements by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, in which he said that he was ready to leave if the people wanted to.
These demonstrations came as a rejection of the home demolition policy initiated by the government in implementation of the Reconciliation Law, which gives citizens the choice between paying sums of money or demolishing their homes.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of the Interior said that accounts on communication platforms circulate a video clip indicating that residents objected to the security forces in Port Said and Suez governorates (northeast), as well as the killing of 4 policemen in Assiut Governorate (south) by a property owner during the implementation of the removal decision.
The Ministry of Interior confirmed - in a statement - that what was broadcast is completely unfounded, and comes within the framework of spreading rumors and lies with the aim of inciting public opinion.
Activists say that some areas in different governorates - including Qalyubia (north of Cairo) and Giza (west) - witnessed similar anger last month from those who rejected the removal decision.
In a related Egyptian affair, the authorities arrested the opposition writer and political thinker Amin al-Mahdi from his home in Alexandria, against the backdrop of his criticism of the Sisi regime's policies, especially the army’s domination of state joints and forced displacement in Sinai.
And human rights sources told Al-Jazeera that Al-Mahdi was referred to the Supreme State Security Prosecution on Wednesday morning, hours after his arrest on various charges.
The arrest comes in light of the attempts of opposition political figures inside and outside Egypt - including Al Mahdi - to form a political entity that brings together all political forces.
Al-Mahdi criticized Sisi in his last writings on his Facebook account 3 days ago, accusing him of crushing the public sphere with all cruelty, committing genocide, forced displacement and starving millions of Egyptians, he said.
The hashtag # Mesh_Ayizek has been on the top of the list of the most frequently discussed on Twitter, in conjunction with the Egyptian Prime Minister holding his press conference in which he clarifies the objectives of the campaigns to demolish violating properties in several governorates.
Opponents considered that what is happening in the Egyptian street is a natural result of the policy of constant pressure on citizens and people with limited income, and stripping them of all material benefits and even from their homes.
Social media users circulated videos that showed protesters chanting against Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, "I don't want you" and their response to the security campaigns.
Opponents considered the transfer of the tag to become a chant as the beginning of what they described as public awareness of what is happening, stressing that spontaneous demonstrations may lead to large-scale protests.