PM says gov't does not interfere in state-owned media

AMMAN — Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour on Tuesday refuted claims that his government interferes in the editorial policies of state-owned media outlets.

Ensour also dismissed as baseless claims by some MPs that the government asks state-owned media outlets to delete their remarks when reporting on Lower House sessions. 

In response to claims by MP Wafaa Bani Mustafa (Jerash, 1st District) that there are lawmakers and ministers holding dual citizenship, Ensour said, "I cannot imagine and accept that there are ministers violating the Constitution. We would love it if those with information about this matter provided us with what they know."

Under 2011 amendments to Article 75 of the Constitution, “no person can become a deputy, senator, minister or a high-ranking official if he/she holds dual nationality”.

The House began on Tuesday its deliberation of the 2015 draft integrity and anti-corruption law, stipulating the establishment of a national commission for integrity and anti-corruption that is administratively and financially independent. 

As per the law, the Ombudsman Bureau and the Anti-Corruption Commission will be integrated into one entity called the national centre for integrity and anti-corruption.

Discussing the law, some MPs requested that the envisioned entity be subject to the Chamber's monitoring like the Audit Bureau.

"To have the House's monitoring over the envisioned commission sanctioned in a law is not needed because, as in the case of other entities, it will be supervised by MPs," Ensour said.

Under lawmakers' amendments to the draft law, the envisioned commission will be managed and supervised by a president and four board members, "none of whom should hold dual citizenship".

Under the law, the commission's president and board members will be appointed by a Royal Decree under a recommendation by the prime minister.