Jordanian king calls for accelerating reforms

The Jordanian King Abdullah II has called on Thursday his prime minister Adnan Badran to accelerate the pace of reforms. He criticized members of the Jordanian parliament among them the opposition for the reforms, in remarks to the resignation of the minister of finance Basem Awadallah, which was accepted earlier.

Abdullah said in a message he extended to Badran "we are not surprised, as it is the case with every call for positive change that some will resist principles of reforms and seek to keep things as they are." The Jordanian king was remarking to the statement signed by 47 parliamentarians at least, in which they criticized the economic team of the new government which was formed in April.

The attack of the parliamentarians concentrated on Awadallah who is considered by observers as the dynamo for the reform policy, including the liberalization of the economy which to make Jordan a country attractive to foreign investments.

Those parliamentarians threatened to cast no confidence in the government of Badran upon the discussion of its political statement which is expected to be made shortly in an extraordinary session by the 110 members of the parliament.

In this context, King Abdullah said in his message "the fact is clear in violating the principles for reform by deliberate criticism of persons who claim to want reform."