Head of Journalists\' Syndicate denies violating financial rules

Focus on the Syndicate\'s spending has intensified over the last few months Mamdouh el-Wali, head of the Egyptian Journalists\' Syndicate, has denied accusations of violating the Syndicate\'s financial rules and taking unilateral financial decisions that have lead to an increase in the fiscal deficit .Wali said: \"I am keen for the money of the Syndicate to be spent properly, rather than being wasted on banners, text messages, making phone calls and marching to Tahrir Square.\"
According to Wali, the organisation got one million Egyptian pounds from the Supreme Press Council on October 17 2011. The money was given to solve the problems of journalists working in both partisan and private newspapers.
He declared that he paid 1000 pounds to about 270 journalists from partisan and private newspapers, ahead of Eid al-Adha. This was done after getting a written approval from the majority of the Syndicate Council. \"Further money will be paid to those journalists from the Supreme Council money, and the proceedings shall be conducted in a transparent manner with the knowledge of all the members of the Bar Council,\" Wali said.
He added that all the financial procedures being carried out are subject to the supervision of the Syndicate auditor.
Wali also promised that the Syndicate will work on increasing the money allocated for training, technology and pensions of all fellow journalists, in an attempt to ease the burden on journalists. He called on journalists to maintain a unified stance against violations of press and media freedom.