Essam Khalil, acting head of the Free Egyptians Party, dismissed on Tuesday Sherif Habib, chairman of the party's committee on housing, after the statements made by him with regard to the new administrative capital.
Habib called for postponing the project until the elections to the House of Representatives, adding that the completion of construction works in Sadat City could be more useful and less expensive.
Shehab Wagih, a spokesman for the Free Egyptians Party, said Habib's comments about the new administrative capital were personal and did not express the position of the party, which had declared its support for the project.
In a press conference on Monday, Habib stressed the need to conduct thorough studies and negotiate with more than one company with regard to the capital, due to the magnitude of the cost of the project.
"A contract should be signed between another county and the Egyptian government, rather than between the government and a company, Habib mentioned, calling for adjourning the project until the parliamentary elections.
"I am considering resigning (from the party) unless the decision is corrected, as it caused me a certain embarrassment," Habib said.
"I did not attack the development projects or the state's plans in this regard," he added.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
