By Hani Hazaimeh

AMMAN - More than 300 citizens staged a sit-in outside the Professional Associations Complex on Saturday in protest against the government’s decision to lift fuel subsidies this year.

Describing the decision as political rather than economic, Jordan Bar Association (JBA) President Saleh Armouti said it was taken in response to requests by the International Monetary Fund.

The Constitution stipulates that the government is responsible for providing citizens with social security and stability, the JBA president pointed out.

“The government keeps increasing taxes on citizens while at the same time reducing taxes for commercial institutions,” Armouti told the gathering.

The government’s intentions to lower taxes on companies to 25 per cent was against principles enshrined in the Constitution, he stressed, adding that it “should take measures to tackle financial and administrative corruption instead of increasing citizens’ tax burdens”.

The JBA president also urged the government to continue protecting essential items from price rises as well as implement housing projects for underprivileged citizens who cannot afford to buy apartments because of increasing property prices.

In addition, Armouti charged that the proposed increase in public sector salaries, soon to be decided by the government, will not be enough.

“Prices in general will soar after fuel subsidies are lifted and the increase will not meet the minimum needs of citizens,” he added.

Referring to the government decision to exempt 13 essential commodities from sales tax and custom duties, Armouti said it should monitor the local markets to ensure retailers’ abidance with the decision.

Greedy traders, however, still refuse to lower prices, while some of the 13 items included in the decision have disappeared from stores, he added.

Iraq’s debt to the Kingdom combined with sales tax and customs duties, which generate more than JD1.5 billion, are enough revenue for the government to continue subsidies, he said.

Armouti stressed that the professional associations are not standing in opposition to the government, but voicing their concerns as they are directly affected by the government’s decisions.

Basem Kiswani, spokesperson of the Jordan Medical Association, echoed this sentiment, saying the government should deal with professional associations as partners and urging it to open a direct and transparent dialogue with them.

He said it is the government’s responsibility to come up with ideas and solutions for the economic crisis expected to emerge after fuel subsidies are lifted.

“Previous governments had valuable opportunities opportunity to make use of oil agreements with companies of shale oil when prices where still reasonable; now they say the economic cost is not worth it,” Kiswani told The Jordan Times.

He added that the government’s expenditure amounts to hundreds of thousands of dinars and must be rationalised, stressing the importance of formulating policies to tackle corruption and activate the Financial Disclosure Law.

Other speakers at the sit-in focused on the deteriorating situation in Gaza, urging Arab rulers to act immediately to put an end to Israeli aggression and the economic embargo.