PM, Lower House discuss plans for 2020 state budget

AMMAN — The Lower House on Thursday voiced rejection of imposing any new taxes on Jordanian citizens, pledging "real partnership" with the government to develop the priorities of the 2020 state budget bill.

Lower House Speaker Atef Tarawneh said that removing distortion in the public sector, merging similar institutions, addressing tax evasion and cutting sales tax are Parliament's major goals for next year's budget bill. 

In a joint press conference with Prime Minister Omar Razzaz, followed by a meeting held to discuss the priorities of 2020 state budget bill, Tarawneh highlighted the importance of directing capital spending to vital sectors, including health and education, as well as enhancing public-private sector partnerships and addressing the challenges facing the energy sector.

He also expressed the Lower House's keenness to implement the Royal directives on maintaining integration, cooperation and consultation with the executive power, in accordance with the Jordanian Constitution, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Razzaz unveiled a number of measures to be launched in the near future to achieve the intended outcomes, along with a wage revision tying wages and salaries to performance, noting that addressing the shortcomings will happen through dialogue with the associations and the Civil Service Bureau.

Making a decision on the budget is not easy, he said, as alternatives must be compared in order to judge whether spending meets the required goals or not. He stressed that dialogue with lawmakers concerning the budget's priorities is “ongoing”.

The premier also highlighted the plans set to revise the government's shell corporations and bodies that exist only on paper with no economic impact and achieve justice in relation to shaping the tax burden, as well as depend on partnership with the private sector in terms of capital spending, to offer Jordanian citizens better services.

Earlier this month, Tarawneh and Razzaz agreed to create a joint government-parliamentary committee to determine the main features of the 2020 State Budget before its submission to Parliament.