08 February,2011 07:01 AM IST | | Agencies
Egypt's embattled regime yesterday announced a 15 per cent raise for government employees in an attempt to shore up its base and defuse popular anger amid protests demanding President Hosni Mubarak's ouster.
The Cabinet decision follows earlier promises to investigate election fraud and official corruption as well as an announcement that a detained Google Inc executive who was one of the most prominent youth organisers would be released soon.
A protestor holds a poster depicting Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak as WWII nazi dictator Adolf Hitler while posing in front of tents on Tahrir Square in Cairo yesterday
Wael Ghonim, a marketing manager for the Internet company, was seized by security agents on January 28, three days after the crisis erupted.
The gestures so far have done little to persuade the tens of thousands occupying downtown's Tahrir Square to end their two-week long protest, leaving the two sides in an uneasy stalemate.
The protesters have vowed to stay put until Mubarak steps down, while the regime wants him to stay in office until elections in September.
Newly appointed Finance Minister Samir Radwan said some 6.5 billion Egyptian pounds (R4,350 crore) will be allocated to cover the salary and pension increases, which will take effect in April for the 6 million people on public payrolls.
Public sector employees have been a pillar of support for the regime, but their salaries have stagnated in value in recent years as prices have soared.
