- The Minister of Finance: Payment of outstanding funds allocated for printing textbooks without deduction till run out of budget appropriations.

- The Ministry of Finance provides LE 35 million to pay training and technology allowance increase for journalists in next July new budget.

- Mamdouh al-Wali: Call for bringing back the gifts given to former regime figures and dropping tax arrears before 2006.

- Mohamed Nigm: Shura Council (Upper House) is preparing a report on approaches to develop press institutions and settle their financial problems.

- A report regarding insurance arrears of Al Shaab newspaper editors to search for solution.

Dr. Al Morsy Hegazy, the Minister of Finance confirmed the government’s commitment to support and enhance the national press institutions to address the critical economic conditions. Dr. Hegazy praised the said institutions’ noble role serving the society, enlightenment issues, defense for freedom of expression and Egypt’s real interests through establishment and formulation of aware and optimistic public opinion.  He added that he believes in the media’s vital role in correcting the ongoing accidents image along the Egyptian street, fostering positive aspects and revealing other negatives to address.

Dr. Hegazy added that the government and the Ministry of Finance never put off supporting and enhancing press institutions, noting to the continuous implementation of the agreed issues raised during the former Minister of Finance’s meeting with chairpersons of national press institutions held in November 2012, including payment of outstanding funds allocated for printing textbooks without deduction till run out of budget appropriations, prior to that, half of the provisions were deducted as partly fulfillment of such institutions’ previous debt, before 2006.

This came during the meeting comprised Dr. Hegazy, Minister of Finance, Mamdouh Al Wali, Journalists Syndicate Head and chairman of AL Ahram Institution, Mohamed Nigm, Secreary- General of the Supreme Press Council,   Kotb Al Araby, Deputy Secretary General of the Supreme Press Council, Ahemd Sameh, chairman of Akhbar al-Yom Institution, Al Syed Helel, chairman of board directors of the National Company of Printing, Publishing and Distribution, Shaker Abd El Fattah, Head of Middle East News Agency, Kamal El Edeen Mahgoob, Chairman of Dar El Maaref Institution, Ezzat Badawy, Editor-in-Chief of Almosawer, representing Dar Al Hilal Institution, Abd Elsadek El Shorbagy, General Manager of Rosa Al Youssef Institution  and Yousry El Sawy, advisor to the Chaiman of Dar El Tahrir Insitution.

The Minister assured that the increase adopted during last November meeting related to journalists’ training and technology allowance will be paid as of next July, coinciding with the implementation of the new budget, arguing that the current budget appropriations do not allow paying before, explaining that the cost value of allowance and pension increase would amount about LE. 35 million.

Mamdouh al Wali praised that the Minister understands the current circumstances faced by press institutions, which need more support to play their role.

Press institutions asked the Minister for help to recover the funds, which the former regime figures were ruled to recover, known in media the issue of “press institutions gifts”, as most of the said funds have not been yet received. Wali added that press institutions also asked for dropping the outstanding taxes before 2006, which are partly paid, where the principal is less than the total amount claimed, resulting from accumulated delay penalties and debt interest, specially sales tax interest.

In this regard, the Minister explained that dropping any tax indebtedness requires issuance of a law, as the government cannot do so without a legal basis.

Mohamed Nigm, Secretary- General of the Supreme Press Council revealed that the Shura Council prepared a report on approaches to maximize the benefits of press institutions capabilities and resources, focusing on their physical assets. He noted that the report will include many solutions and proposals to develop press institutions, confirming that the proposals being discussed do not involve any the sale of assets, as the Supreme Press Council’s law prohibits selling any assets, but allows exchanging an asset.

He added that the Council cooperates with a significant auditing office and a number of volunteer economists and auditors preparing studies on press institutions development and their financial structures in order to restore their administrative and financial stability without any financial costs incurred by the Council.

 Nigm revealed that six press institutions succeeded in payment of all outstanding taxes and charges during the previous period from 2006 till now, whereas two press institutions only face payment difficulties resulting from the current economic circumstances.

Nigm praised that the Ministry of Finance fulfilled its commitment of delaying tax deduction from press institutions dues related to printing textbooks, in addition to the exemption of commercials published by press institutions for the promotion of journals and magazines from sales taxes considering them free internal commercials.

Nigm called the Minister of Finance to mediate with the Ministry of Insurance to eliminate decree no. 2005/16, which links renewing press institutions’ vehicles licenses with payment of insurance subscriptions, as some press institutions face difficulties in providing their vehicles’ outstanding insurance amounts, as a result of stop working.

Minister of Finance promised to study all proposals introduced by Journalists Syndicate Head and to convey their request concerning the elimination of decree no. 2005/16 to the Minister of Insurance in order to settle the matter.

Kotb Al Araby, Deputy Secretary General of the Supreme Press Council said that journalists in Al Shaab newspaper have a big problem represented in the accumulation of indebtedness to Insurance Authority, amounted LE. 3 million, because of nonpayment of outstanding  insurance amounts since 2000 until now, pointing that the principal amount was LE.1 million and 100 thousand only ,while interest  amounted LE.1.9 million.

He said that the Ministry of Finance played an important role in the newspaper’s problem relief, by incurring their monthly salaries since the newspaper stopped working long years ago, hoping that the government should incur such insurance amounts to settle the problem, in this regard the Minister asked to prepare a memorandum on the Al Shaab newspaper situation in order to consider the matter.