After reports of drama yesterday and Tuesday, could today be the day the House finally votes on the Investment Act? The House of Representatives is expected to vote on the Investment Act in a plenary session today now that the debate over the return of private free zones has been put to rest, MPs tell Al Borsa. The House Economic Committee voted on Wednesday to keep articles they introduced last Saturday that allow for the establishment of new private free zones, which the government of the day had stripped from the act in 2015.

The House has the final say on the matter, but the committee’s decision goes against the wishes of the Finance Ministry. The ministry had spoken against private-sector-run free zones several times over the past few months, arguing that the zones do little to boost exports and have a negative impact on state coffers. Deputy Finance Minister Amr El Monayer told Al Mal that the ministry restated its objections to members of the Economic Committee, hoping to change their minds.

Debate over free zones opens up a can of worms: Apart from private free zones, other amendments introduced by the committee appear to be stirring trouble with ministers who said they had not been notified in advance. Trade Minister Tarek Kabil was particularly unhappy about articles that would give the General Authority for Free Zones and Investment sole jurisdiction over tendering land to investors in various fields. Kabil reportedly threatened to pull out of the meeting when the debate with MPs grew heated after he argued that the move adds unnecessary red tape to the process, which he believes should be carried by each respective ministry independently. Finance Minister Amr El Garhy was also displeased with the decision to offer additional incentives and tax rebates to investors, which MPs eventually agreed to curb. CIT Minister Yasser Al Qadi was also present at the meeting to lobby against the Economic Committee’s move to remove articles relating to the establishment of technological zones.

Tensions running high around the cabinet table? Unnamed state officials tell AMAY that the ministers are not too happy with Investment and International Cooperation Minister Sahar Nasr, who is portrayed as having signed-off on the amendments without consulting them first. House Speaker Ali Abdel Aal is said to have had to broker talks between El Garhy and Nasr on Tuesday, Al Borsa says. The ministers have reportedly asked Prime Minister Sherif Ismail to intervene, the newspaper adds, and Ismail met with House Speaker Ali Abdel Aal, according to Ahram Gate.