Jordan: Razzaz Pledges to Withdraw Tax Bill after Government Takes Oath

The newly appointed Jordanian Prime Minister Omar al-Razzaz meets with member of Union leaders in Amman, on June 7, 2018. Ahmad GHARABLI / AFP

Jordan’s Prime Minister-designate Omar Al-Razzaz began his consultations on Thursday to form a new cabinet, amid ongoing protests and strikes against a controversial income tax law.
 
Razzaz met with the speaker of the House of Representatives, Atef Tarawneh, underlining the need to maintain cooperation between the government and both the Senate and the Lower House in order to implement the directives and vision of King Abdullah II.
 
In remarks following the meeting, the PM-designate stressed that dialogue would be the basis of any decision over the new tax bill, saying: “We must listen to this dialogue, take immediate action to bring the situation back on track and walk together towards the future that reflects the public interest and the supreme national interest.”
 
He also said the new government’s top priority would be holding consultations with both Chambers of the Parliament and professional associations on the income tax draft law and the entire action plan of the cabinet. 
 
For his part, Tarawneh emphasized the importance of speeding work towards withdrawing the draft income tax law, pointing out that the majority of the members of the House of Representatives were against the amendments made to the law in force.
 
Also on Thursday, Razzaz met with Senate President Faisal Al Fayez and pledged to withdraw the income tax bill when the new Cabinet takes oath.
 
Fayez said he hoped the premier-designate and the new government would win the confidence of the Jordanian people and Parliament, adding that an agreement was reached that the cabinet withdraws the tax bill after the members take the oath of office.
 
He also called on the Jordanian youth to end strikes and protests, in order to prevent anyone from exploiting the situation and harming the country, “especially after we began witnessing an escalation in protests, despite the resignation of the government, and the mandate of His Majesty King Abdullah II to the Prime Minister-designate to conduct a comprehensive national dialogue on the draft income tax law.”