PM, House speaker denounce committee meeting quarrel

AMMAN — Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh on Monday said that the government “does not accept any assault” on any member of the Lower House, whether intentionally or unintentionally. 

At the beginning of a Lower House session, following a quarrel between the Agriculture Minister and MP Jamil Oshoush, Khasawneh stressed that the "dignity of the House is the dignity of the government," the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The prime minister expressed his apologies to Oshoush after the quarrel that "should not have happened" during a Lower House committee meeting.

Later on Monday, Lower House Speaker Ahmad Safadi asked the Minister of Agriculture to apologise for the quarrel, Petra added.

Disavowing the incident, Safadi said that the Constitution and the Lower House’ bylaws require him to ensure discipline and order in the House during its various committee meetings, noting that he is obliged to protect members of the government and the House from personal assaults. 

“It is unacceptable for such actions to happen again,” Safadi said, adding that the incident is a breach of the cooperation agreement that MPs reached with the premier a few days earlier.

The relations set by the Constitution are binding, and the government and Parliament must work under the principle of "flexible separation among authorities”, the Lower House speaker said.