Mo Salah asked for 20% of income, government responds

ALBAWABA – The leader of Egyptian opposition and head of Wafd Party, Abdel-Sanad Yamama, has been a subject of public controversy and backlash after he suggested that the Liverpool footballer Mohammad Salah should provide 20 percent of his monthly income to his home country Egypt, to help with the economy situation, saying he plans to provide the House of Representatives with his proposal for a discussion.

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Mo Salah reportedly earns around $25 million a month, third highest paid player in the English Premiere League, with Yamama explaining that his draft would force Egyptians abroad to transfer 20 percent of their monthly income to Egypt in US Dollars, then the equivalent of these funds would be transferred to the taxed person’s families in Egyptian Pounds, in hopes to bring more foreign currency into the country.

Yamama’s comments have sparked controversy online, with him replying that as head of opposition he believes it is in his responsibility to suggest ways that could revive the economy, adding that if he was elected, he would have made this an obligation on all Egyptian’s abroad with no exceptions, stating that “remittances from Egyptians abroad are one of the most important sources of providing foreign currency”.

On the other hand, Soha El-Gendy, the Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, commented on the backlash, saying “the state does not interfere at all in the remittances of Egyptians at home or abroad”, adding in a statement to Alarabiya “The state supports its people abroad and provides them with services that make them more connected to their country and relieve them of the burdens of exile”, on his part, Mo Salah is yet to comment on the situation.