‘Gov’t to submit new municipalities, political parties laws this year’

AMMAN — The government will submit new municipalities and political parties laws this year, and draft a new elections law in 2015 or 2016, Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour said Monday.

Ensour added that he is confident that these laws will contribute to entrenching political life in Jordan and bolstering the democratic parliamentary experience.

Delivering a lecture at the Royal Jordanian National Defence College, the premier said the economy, although relatively small and not exceeding JD30 billion, lost at least JD5 billion in the past three years, and is expected to incur more losses.

He said the losses include the cost of hosting Syrian refugees, security, trade, transportation and aviation.

The government cut expenditures in many fields by reducing the number of unnecessary administrative jobs, halting employment except for the education and health sectors, and cancelling and merging some public institutions, Ensour added.

He said that the Kingdom’s foreign currency reserves increased from $6.6 billion in 2012 to about $12 billion by late 2013.

The premier noted that the energy sector costs the country JD4 billion annually out of the JD9 billion budget.

The Kingdom has signed many agreements to initiate renewable energy projects that are expected to generate 900 megawatts, Ensour said.

Turning to the water sector, the prime minister said the Disi Water Conveyance Project will provide 100 million cubic metres (mcm), while the desalination of Red Sea water will provide another 100mcm.

The premier said the government will also work on improving the transportation and ICT sectors.