Parliament extraordinary session expected in mid-August — Tarawneh

AMMAN — Parliament is expected to convene in another extraordinary session in mid–August to deliberate and endorse several critical laws related to the reform process, Lower House Speaker Atef Tarawneh said on Wednesday.

At a press conference held to outline the House’s achievements in the past extraordinary session, Tarawneh said he expects the government to send a draft elections law to the Lower House in August.

“As soon as we receive it, the MPs will launch a national dialogue over this bill,” he said.

Tarawneh dismissed rumours that deputies would refrain from dealing with a new elections law for fear that endorsing it would lead to Parliament’s dissolution.

“We will be ready to conclude deliberations over this bill during the next extraordinary session,” he stressed.

The speaker told reporters that the MPs’ performance has witnessed progress with the endorsement of eight draft laws out of the 13 included in the Royal Decree that called for Parliament to convene in the extraordinary session that ended on July 11.

Tarawneh commended the deputies for their performance, noting that this session witnessed major accomplishments with the endorsement of the investment, public-private partnership and civil retirement draft laws, and other bills.

The next session is expected to tackle the draft political parties, municipal affairs and decentralisation laws, in addition to the elections law if the government decides to send it to Parliament, according to Tarawneh.

He also commended the House-based initiative “Mubadara”. 

“I welcome any partnerships such as what Mubadara has done with the government,” Tarawneh said.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour announced that his team will be committed to certain policies that both the government and Mubadara have agreed upon.