by Shaimaa Behery
CAIRO, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- "The right of peaceful protest is guaranteed for all the people, but the constant dissent from opposition groups against the government may lead the country to chaos," Bassam al-Zarqa, political advisor of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, told Xinhua, referring to the opposition's calls for mass anti-Morsi demonstrations nationwide on Jan. 25.
"We don't want our revolution to last for seven years like the scenario of the French revolution, because the Egyptian economy will not stand further instability. We hope that all political forces consider the common interest, not just their partisan or personal interests," said al-Zarqa, who is also a leader of the Salafi al-Nour Party.
Egypt's main opposition forces, including the National Salvation Front and April 6 Youth Movement, urge massive anti- government protests all over the country on Jan. 25 to mark the second anniversary of the 2011 "uprising" that toppled the former regime.
The calls for demonstrations were further ignited by the train crash that took place in Giza's Badrasheen district on Tuesday, which killed 19 and injured over a hundred.
Some opposition forces call for ousting the current government of Morsi and the recently-approved controversial constitution, while some reject the idea.
"No one can deny people's freedom of expression, but destructive calls for toppling elected institutions are rejected," said al-Zarqa.
He told Xinhua that those calls for ousting a government that came through fair elections or a constitution which was approved via a referendum were "anti-democracy," regretting what he described as "opposition's rejection of democracy when it is against their desires."
As the countdown for Jan. 25 is ticking, concerns are raised about possible bloody clashes if Morsi's Islamist supporters hold demonstrations to challenge liberal anti-Morsi protests the same day. But al-Zarqa ruled out the possibility.
Denouncing claims that most presidential decisions are mainly made by the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) Guidance Office rather than Morsi, al-Zarqa said that it was just "a calumny."
"When presidency makes any decision, it tries to make a balance between political requirements and the common good, considering all political forces, including allies, friends, collaborators and oppositions," al-Zarqa told Xinhua.
As deputy chief of the Salafi al-Nour Party, al-Zarqa said that the MB's domination of the state's institutions would "neither worry nor annoy al-Nour Party."
"The winning party in presidential elections has the right to run the country. However, if it seeks mere predominance, it will achieve temporary gains but it will lose in the long run," al- Zarqa explained.
"The Muslim Brotherhood group has their own thoughts and beliefs, and only time will tell if they are wise or short-sighted, " he added.
About the alliances that al-Nour Party may join in preparation for the upcoming parliamentary elections, al-Zarqa said that the party had not decided yet, but reaffirmed that it would not ally with any party that rejected Islamic Shariaa (Law).
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