Property owners in violation of the building code are getting yet another extension to settle up with the government until, according to a cabinet statement. The new deadline at the end of December comes as officials want to keep the door open for as many settlements as possible, even after repeatedly saying there would be no further delays. Egypt has been cracking down on wildcat building and had originally set a settlement deadline for last August, but pushed it until September due to the economic fallout from covid-19. The deadline has since been pushed ot the end of October and then November and was finally meant to expire this past Tuesday. The government has also reduced building code violation fines by as much as 70% in some governorates to encourage residents to formally register their homes.

The government has now received more than EGP 17 bn in reconciliation fees, cabinet spokesperson Nader Saad told Yahduth Fi Misr’s Sherif Amer last night (watch, runtime: 1:54). He stressed that yesterday’s extension will definitely be the final one.