Referral of income draft law to Lower House does not mean ‘surrender’ — Tarawneh

AMMAN — Lower House Speaker Atef Tarawneh on Tuesday said that the government’s draft version of the Income Tax Law is non-binding for the House, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Tarawneh stressed that the House will deal with the draft law in consideration of citizens’ needs and aspirations, reiterating that the referral of the draft law to the House does not mean “surrendering to the government’s version of the law”.

In a statement carried by Petra, the speaker said that “the House sees the interests of economic sectors as the last fortress for employment, thus it refuses to allow any attempts by the International Monetary Fund to impose proposals that contradict understanding of the Jordanian economy and does not consider the challenges it goes through”.

“The government has been ensnared in dealing with consultants that recognise only figures, but not human beings, needs, capabilities and communities,” Tarawneh continued. 

He said that the MPs had “early on” warned the government against neglecting dialogue with all sectors.

Tarawneh stressed that the House with all of its committees and blocs are present to listen to all comments and suggestions to reach a consensual law that would serve the interests of the Jordanian state foremost, and one that protects the middle- and low-income tranches, as reiterated by His Majesty King Abdullah.

The house will hold expanded dialogues with all sectors and the first of them will be on Monday with the Jordan Chamber of Commerce, said Tarawneh.

The speaker asserted that the house will ensure the protection of the middle and low income groups, enhancing the confidence of investors and improving tax collection especially from evaders.

The MP underscored the importance of working the improvement of services, especially health, education and transport, and working on rationalising and controlling public expenditure.