Morsi, Egypt’s Top Judge Resolve Standoff Over Removal Decree

Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi and the country’s Prosecutor General Abdel Meguid Mahmud have reached an agreement under which the country’s top judge will remain in his position, Press TV reports.

“I remain in my post. We resolved the problem amicably. We told him I wanted to stay and that there was a misunderstanding. He didn’t object,” said Mahmud on Saturday.

The Egyptian president ordered Mahmud to step down on Thursday, a day after a court acquitted loyalists of the Hosni Mubarak regime who had organized an infamous camel-borne assault on revolutionaries during Egypt’s last year revolution. Twenty-one people were killed and hundreds of others injured during the attack.

Morsi declared that the prosecutor general would be Egypt’s envoy to Vatican. However, Egyptian Vice President, Mahmoud Mekki said the announcement came after a “misunderstanding.”

“There was confusion. The acceptance was not complete, was not clear,” Mekki maintained.

Strong opposition by Egypt’ judges to Morsi’s decision led to talks between the top judge and the president, following which an announcement was made that the Prosecutor General will remain in his position till retirement.

“What’s happening now is a case of political maturity. The judiciary is independent. After Morsi suspended the constitutional addendum he only held consecutive and legislative power not the judicial,” spokesman of Al-Wafd Party, Motaz Salah el-Deen said.

Morsi announced the removal of the prosecutor general in an apparent bid to appease public anger over the controversial acquittals of former regime officials.

The Muslim Brotherhood and its political wing the Freedom and Justice Party announced their support for President Morsi when the initial announcement was made and then later on renewed their support for the president as the issue was resolved with the Prosecutor General remaining in his position.

“President Morsi will not ignore those who committed crimes. The president has vowed to youth to judiciary and the legal systems to punish them,” member of Freedom and Justice Party, Osama Nour el-Deen said.

The issue of Mahmud’s removal by Morsi stirred much debate among Egyptians. While some accused the presidency of interfering in judicial affairs, others supported the decision which nearly met one of the early demands of the revolution in removing the general prosecutor from his position.

Presstv