Egyptian president vows not to extend transitional period

Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi on Thursday vowed to stop anyone from extending the transitional period in Egypt, asserting that he was keen on all opinions of every political parties as thousands of protesters continued their demonstration against Morsi's constitutional declaration. "The declaration is necessary to meet the need of the current stage in Egypt, there is no way to autocracy and dictatorship," said Morsi in a televised interview on state TV. "The declaration is temporary and it will end as soon as the Egyptian people approve their new constitution through a referendum," Morsi noted, pledging that the declaration is temporary. Morsi defended his decree as a need of retrying the remnants of the Mubarak era. "Trying them needs a new legislation and a new legal environment," he added. Urging the judiciary system to respect power separation, Morsi affirmed that in light of lacking a People's Assembly, legislation was the domain of President who claimed the rights from then-ruler the Supreme Council of Armed Force. Criticized by some analysts for not consulting his advisor before the declaration, Morsi explained by saying that sometimes a leader doesn't have to clarify to the public before he makes any important decision. Despite swearing not to align with one side against the other in last Friday's speech, Morsi was still blamed as the representative of the Muslim Brotherhood, whose electoral muscle put him in office. "I meant to speak to the whole people last Friday outside the presidential palace," said Morsi, noting that it was not important where he gave his speech. Extending his respect to demonstrators against him and the Brotherhood nationwide, Morsi called on them to learn how to express themselves without hurting their country. Morsi issued on Thursday a new constitutional declaration, which triggered controversy among different political forces. The declaration ruled that all laws, decrees and constitutional declarations issued by the president since he assumed office on June 30, 2012, are final and unchallengeable by anybody, while it will not lead to reinstating the People's Assembly. The declaration also ruled that no judicial body is entitled to dissolving the Shura Council (upper house) or the Constituent Assembly, which is tasked with drafting a new constitution. At least three people have been killed and more than 600 injured in Cairo and other governorates during nationwide protests since the declaration was issued.