Parliament forms panel to consider top auditor's statements about corruption

The House of Representatives will form a committee to consider a report presented by a fact- finding committee formed under a presidential decree to probe statements made by Egypt's top auditor Hisham Geniena on corruption.

During Thursday's session, Parliament Speaker Ali Abdel Aal urged postponing the panel line-up until the end of the public prosecution probe in this respect ends.

Abdel Aal stressed the parliament's right to raise any topic for discussion, but he urged waiting the outcome of the investigations.

He added that the prosecutor general will refer a report to the parliament in this respect.

Several lawmakers rejected delaying the committee formation and Abdl Aal pledged to hold talks on the regulations to govern the committee formation to guarantee that it represents all parliamentary blocs.

Head of Accountability State Authority (ASA) Hisham Geniena was quoted as saying that funds squandered due to claimed government corruption hit EGP600 billion from 2012 to 2015.

The committee - formed under directives of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi - accused Geneina of “defamation of state apparatuses”. It also argued that Geneina’s statements misled the public, lacked credibility, and exaggerated the numbers lost due to corruption.

Source: MENA