AMMAN — Finance Minister Mohamad Al-Ississ on Tuesday confirmed that the government will pay all overdue financial arrears to the private sector, including tax returns.

Addressing the Lower House Finance Committee, the minister said that, for the first time in years, the government increased capital spending by 30 per cent, the Jordan News Agency, Petra reported, adding that the biggest problem facing the government is the increase in salaries to 66 per cent of the current expenditure.

Al-Ississ said that the $300 million Emirati grant, which came as a result of the efforts of His Majesty King Abdullah, is not included in the budget, but will reduce the deficit.

Head of the committee MP Khalid Bakkar said that the numbers included in the budget must be realistic in terms of imports and spending, and must not repeat the import volume challenge witnessed in the 2019 budget.