MPs seek exclusive power to set tax caps, make ‘binding’ recommendations

AMMAN — The Lower House on Sunday recommended that the government draft an amended version of the General Tax Law giving MPs the exclusive power to set tax upper limits.

During Sunday’s special session on the recent increases to sales taxes, a majority of deputies voted a set of recommendations which are “binding for the government”, according to Speaker Atef Tarawneh.

Lawmakers also recommended that the government put in place a comprehensive economic plan to increase public revenues, suggest solutions to unemployment and reconsider the tax imposed on certain commodities.

MPs also called for lowering agricultural production costs and opening new markets for local agricultural exports.

Citing public safety and the need to curb traffic accidents, MPs also called on the government to exempt tyres from the recent increase to sales tax.

The cancellation of the tax on books and stationary was among the recommendations the House made, which also included a call on the government to set the profit margin for pharmaceutical imports.

MPs also called for monitoring banks’ measures concerning interest rates to prevent manipulation.

Lawmakers also called for opening new branches for the civil and military consumer corporations and supporting the Consumer Protection Society.

The session saw a total of 47 MPs criticising the recent increases to the prices and sales tax on a number of commodities with several legislators calling on the government to reconsider its economic policies to alleviate the burdens on the low- and middle-income households.

MPs also called on the government to find other alternatives to “citizens’ empty pockets” and to increase the salaries and pensions of civil and military personnel by JD50.

The session witnessed a group of MPs shouting in dismay over Tarawneh’s decision to abruptly end the deliberations and order a vote on the recommendations.

The Reform bloc, the largest in the House, issued a statement expressing “sorrow and rejection” of Tarawneh’s decision which, it said, “violated the Chamber’s bylaws”.

In a statement to The Jordan Times, the bloc called for another general session to resume the House discussion of new price and tax increases.