Jordanian govt wins parliamentary vote of confidence

By Laith al-Junaidi

AMMAN (AA) - Prime Minister Hani al-Mulki’s government late Thursday won a vote of confidence from Jordan’s parliament.

The move was supported by 84 out of 128 MPs who attended the session, while 40 parliamentarians voted against and four abstained.

Before the vote was held, al-Mulki answered lawmakers’ questions about the country’s tough economic situation and a landmark gas deal recently signed with Israel.

He said his government was aware of dangerously high levels of public debt, requesting more time to reduce it. He also said a draft budget for 2017 would be presented to the assembly in coming weeks.

Remarking on the recently-signed gas agreement with Israel, al-Mulki said: "This government is prepared to take decisions that will help the nation even if they are unpopular."

He also said his government was in talks with the Iraqi government about prospects for building an oil pipeline linking Iraq’s southern city of Basra to Jordan’s Port of Aqaba.