Premier vows to carry forward anti-graft fight

AMMAN — The government will not back down on its efforts to combat corruption and preserve public money, which is a popular demand, as the anti-graft fight is enshrined in Royal directives, Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Omar Razzaz said on Sunday

Speaking during a weekly televised address, the PM reviewed the government’s measures related to fighting corruption, protecting public money, enforcing law and reopening airports, in addition to the issues of street vendors.

The government is scheduled to sign an international agreement and develop a draft law related to information exchange on tax evasion and double taxation this week, the premier said.

The procedure is aimed at controlling tax evasion and "smuggling money into tax havens”, Razzaz said.

Touching on recent domestic crimes, the PM said that despite introducing stiffer penalties, these "unfortunate and painful incidents" still take place, announcing that the government will evaluate all procedures and parties involved, in cooperation with the National Council for Family Affairs, to crack down on crimes.

Regarding the reopening of airports, Razzaz said that an official announcement will be made this week, stressing that priority will be given to bringing home Jordanians stranded abroad, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The government is working on increasing the capacity of operations without risking Jordanians' health or that of their families, he added.

Highlighting the Kingdom's economic challenges and the importance of adhering to public health standards, the PM said that “the current situation necessitates” increasing the number of popular markets for street vendors in specific locations, highlighting that "such practices are common worldwide".