(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - He needs the money to deal with the budget deficit Jordan is facing, but Jordanians believe financial aid cannot be a reliable prescription for the country’s ailing economy.
"Independence is not viable without reforms”. This was the catchphrase of Jordanians on the anniversary of independence from Britain. Chanting such slogans, the people of Jordan on the anniversary of independence day staged rallies calling for extensive reforms in their country.
They said people’s pocket is the redline, and protested against the austerity measures introduced by Rady Altarwana’s government. The protest rallies took place one day after the parliament gave the green light to the government to go ahead with the austerity measures.
Jordan is among Arab countries of the Middle East that due to its Rentier system and widespread financial corruption suffers from a $3 billion budget deficit. The government has warned that without austerity measures, the deficit will rise to $24.6 billion which will mean a dark future for the country. But people want the government to introduce fundamental reforms against the corruption of the royal family and the political system instead of implementing plans like austerity measures whose burden is carried by people. Economic analysts and Islamists warn that the austerity package is risky and will most probably intensify political instability in Jordan.
Recently, Jordan’s Islamic Action Front in a statement voiced concerns over the halt in the reform process and criticized the ruling system. It said lack of immediate action by the government to realize political and economic reforms and fight against poverty and unemployment was an alarm bell ringing for the country’s monarchy.
Jordan was among the first countries that recognized the Zionist regime and has maintained Western-friendly policies. That is why Jordanian rulers fret the Islamic Awakening in the region.
Street protests against the ruling system have been repeatedly held in Jordan since the start of the Islamic Awakening in 2011. If the government fails to address the society’s financial problems, King Abdullah II will have no choice but to join his political counterparts like Saleh and Mubarak.
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