House endorses bill lowering land registration fees

AMMAN — The Lower House on Monday endorsed several laws that were approved by special committees.

During a session chaired by Speaker Ahmad Safadi and attended by Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh and Cabinet members, the Chamber endorsed a bill for the land registration fees for 2022 as referred by the House Economy and Investment Committee, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Validating reasons for the bill include stimulating investment in the housing and real estate industry, increasing trade volume in the real estate market through reducing fees, and correlating land registration transaction fees with the real value of services and the purchasing power of the Jordanian dinar.

Lawmakers also endorsed amendments to the Jordanian Nationality Law as referred from the Lower Chamber Legal Affairs Committee. The amendments’ validating reasons aim at realising harmony among texts related to restoring nationality and granting Jordanian women who are married to non-Jordanians and gave up their Jordanian nationality the right to regain their Jordanian nationality.

MPs also endorsed a bill to restructure government institutions and departments as referred from the House's Administrative Committee.  The bill’s validating reasons follow the issuance of a Royal Decree introducing the Ministry of Government Communications and addressing issues related to organising the connection between the ministry and public media institutions. 

Commenting on the draft law, Minister of Government Communications Faisal Shboul said that the bill attaches the Jordan Radio and Television Corporation and the Jordan News Agency, Petra with the minister of government communications instead of the prime minister. The minister stressed that the two institutions will not merge.

The Lower House also endorsed a draft law abolishing the ratification of a concession agreement for shale oil between the government, represented by the Natural Resources Authority, and the Jordan Oil Shale Company, as referred from the Chamber's Energy and Mineral Resources Committee.

Responding to MPs' questions about the burning of a copy of the Holy Koran by the leader of an extremist and militant political party in Sweden after obtaining prior consent from the Swedish authorities, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Ayman Safadi said that the Kingdom is working with other Arab and Islamic countries to adopt legislation prohibiting such acts.

The minister stressed Jordan's rejection and denunciation of acts that provoke Muslims and offend religious sentiments.

Replying to lawmakers' inquiries about recent appointments at the Foreign Ministry, Safadi said that these appointments were completed legally, noting that applicants underwent tests and were interviewed by experts and former ambassadors.