‘ElBaradei not confirmed as PM’

Egypt’s new presidential media adviser late Saturday denied the media reports stating opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei had been appointed the country’s interim prime minister, reported state-run MENA news agency.

‘Until now, President Adli Mansour has not officially assigned ElBaradei or anyone else to form the new government,’ reported Xinhua citing Ahmed al-Mislimani, who has just taken up the post of presidential media adviser. Mislimani said discussions were still going on about the nomination for interim prime minister, noting that the transitional government has to be ‘a crisis-management government’ at the current critical stage.

He also said there was no specific date for announcing the government formation and its leader, while denying ‘the media leaks’ about ElBaradei’s appointment.

The latest statement came after reports saying that ElBaradei, leader of the opposition bloc, the National Salvation Front, had been officially chosen as the country’s interim prime minister.

After those reports, Salafist Al-Nour Party also rejected the appointment of Mohamed ElBaradei, stating it would deepen the state’s ‘polarisation’, causing further strife.