The recent presidential decree - which sparked huge protests in Egypt - was meant to protect the parliamentary institutions from bloating dominance of the Supreme Constitutional Court after several reports purported that the court intends to dissolve the Shura Council and the Constituent Assembly and, hence, bring the country back to square one, Information Minister Salah Abdel-Maksoud said.

In statements to the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Anba on Thursday 29/11/2012, the minister said the hard circumstances Egypt is experiencing are exceptional and will end by the endorsement of a new constitution.

The presidential declaration - which gave the president sweeping power - is temporary and will end by holding parliamentary elections, he said.

It is hard to put an end to decades of corruption just in 100 days, Minister Abdel-Maksoud, citing the heavy legacy which the government inherited topped by the 185 billion dollar budget deficit.