Minister of Finance Dr. Youssef Boutros Ghali, in a landmark decision, has agreed to merge real estate tax employees in the local provinces to the Ministry of Finance while taking measures to implement his decision.  Ghali noted that the merge will take place effective immediately and until the new  real tax law is passed by the People’s Assembly and the Shura Council in the next few days.

Ghali’s decision came to mark the end of twelve days of protests.

 Minister Ghali has reiterated in his meeting with heads of real estate municipalities in twelve governorates that his instructions on merging the real estate tax authority to the Ministry of Finance have been issued, allowing fifty five thousand employees to become part of the mother institution while allocating the necessary funds.

The Minister vowed to work on improving the working conditions among the employees including infrastructural reforms of the buildings and other vital working conditions.

Ghali said that the new plan of action to list and register all buildings under the jurisdiction of the real estate authority are underway.

He said that the legal steps to conclude the merge should be finalized prior to the end of 2008.

Ghali noted the importance to give the utmost care to the real estate employees and their families as part of the target goal of the Ministry of Finance to cater to the needs of all its employees who are dealing with four million economic institutions in Egypt that employs an average of twenty million employees throughout Egypt.

(source : Ministry of Finance)