Khaled Neimat, The Jordan Times

AMMAN — Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour on Sunday delivered the government’s policy statement to Lower House, seeking vote of confidence by committing to enhancing the economy and to push reforms forward.

The new government will work on a long-term plan to reduce the budget deficit in order to regain the balance of the national economy, according to the premier.

In his speech, Ensour said the public debt reached JD16.6 billion, representing 75 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP).

He added that the government will have to take “difficult decisions” in order to overcome these challenges.

The premier said he will submit a 300-page document to the Lower House detailing the projects for which the government has already secured either local or regional funding.

Reform

Ensour said that the government will move forward with the reform process, and will suggest draft laws for elections and political parties to further enhance their parliamentary participation.

The premier said that the government believes political reform is advancing positively, dubbing it a model for the region and communities who aspire to achieve democracy.

He said that Jordan has built its political future in harmony with its political and social fabric.

Ensour added that national unity is a key pillar of the Kingdom, and emphasised the government’s keenness on strengthening equality between all the Jordanians regardless of their religion, race or gender.

Parliamentary government

The premier said that the next governments will come out of the Parliament in their “entirety”, pointing out that balanced steps have been taken towards this goal.

He said that the march towards the parliamentary government began with consultations with the blocs, for the clear and unambiguous goal of appointing deputies as Cabinet members.

“However, that goal faced various problems; reaching an agreement between the government and the deputies in regards to future programmes proved to be hard,” Ensour said.

The alternative to that was choosing members of the Parliament for the government on personal grounds, which, he said, “contradicts with the purpose of the parliamentary government.”

The premier added that the current government’s small size (18 ministers) is a clear indicator of his plan to include deputies in his government this year. He delayed the step, he said, to ensure that no mistakes, however small, will be made and jeopardise the entire experience.

Ensour commended the “transparent and fair elections” as a key step in the country’s reform programme, saying that deputies, “who were chosen by the people”, have the power to choose the government.”

Syria and Palestine

He denied that Jordan is hosting a military training for Syrians in the Kingdom, as well as the existence of any foreign army training centres in the country.

“Jordan will go to the Security Council in the United Nations to present the current issue of the refugee and its implications,” he announced, reiterating that Jordan seeks a political solution for the ongoing bloodshed in the neighbouring country.

He said Jordan’s position towards the situation in Syria is clear: Amman supports a political process that would end the bloodshed and meets the aspirations of the Syrian people and strengthen its national unity and solidarity.

The Syrian refugees are increasing the pressure on the country’s infrastructure and resources, and the situation in Syria is expected to escalate further, the premier said.

In a previous statement, Ensour said that “the Syrian crisis and its implications reached a level where they threaten national security”.

The premier also spoke about the Palestinian issue, calling it the “root cause” of instability in the region.

He emphasised that Jordan will continue supporting “our Palestinian brethren” to achieve their rights in establishing their own, viable state with East Jerusalem as its capital, pointing that the establishment of the Palestinian state and the end of the occupation are paramount for Jordan’s higher interests.

The Lower House decided to kick off its discussions on the government’s programmes and policy statement by Tuesday, designating 15 minutes for each deputy and 20 for the each bloc.