Egypt’s Information Minister Salah Abdel Maqsoud has denied that new financial regulations would be imposed on State Radio and Television Union (Maspero) employees.

The Information Minister said in televised comments on Monday that there is no intention to cut the wages of the Maspero workers, adding that these are just rumors, reported the Middle East News Agency.

Dozens of Maspero employees staged demonstrations on Sunday outside the State TV building to demand sacking of the information minister and to protest against the new wages scale.

In a statement, the protesters accused Abdel Maqsoud, who is a Muslim Brotherhood member, of working for the Islamist group's benefit. 

“The Information Minister deliberately favored the government in delivering information to Egyptians, pointing out that all guests on television programs represent a particular perspective (Egypt’s ruling Muslim Brotherhood).”

The statement added, “The information ministry has approved a new regulation that reduces the workers’ salaries by more than 60 percent, which causes serious damages to us.”

In response, the information minister cited personal criticism directed at him on Egyptian television to prove that allegations that he was restricting freedoms were not true.

Abdel Maqsoud said that since he assumed his post as the minister of information, he “sought to allocate L.E. 53 million for the employees’ pensions.”

The information ministry is currently reviewing a new draft bill to establish a media syndicate to be presented to the Shura Council (upper house of parliament) which currently holds legislative powers, said Abdel Maqsoud.

Abdel Maqsoud was also fiercely criticised for a response with "sexual connotations" to a question posed by a female journalist at a press conference, which circulated widely online.