Ammon News - By Wael Jaraysheh

AMMONNEWS - Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit on Tuesday denied media speculations over the reasons for ousting the governor of the Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ) Faris Sharaf earlier this week.

Bakhit told journalists Tuesday afternoon that the reason for Sharaf's ouster was to "save the Central Bank from drowning in unilateral decision-making."

Bakhit said that Sharaf used to make solo decisions, and had clashed with the government. "He did not belief in government directives regarding social economy policies and directing investments to the governorates and opening factories there."

"He did not have confidence in small and medium-size businesses that the government wishes to expand in governorates," Bakhit added, describing Sharaf as a "liberal who strongly supports open markets and instigates against the government in "political salons."

"Sharaf's will is not in harmony with the structure of Jordanian decision-making," he added.

Despite commending Sharaf's professional record, Bakhit justified that Sharaf's leaning towards individual decision-making stems from his sense of being immune because of his social background.

Sharaf hails from the the Royal Hashemite family and his father, the late Sharif Abdul Hamid Sharaf, was a former Prime Minister and head of the Royal Court, in addition to holding several high positions in the state, and his mother, Leila Sharaf, is a senator who submitted her resignation from the Upper House of Parliament earlier on Tuesday.

Bakhit noted that Sharaf's replacement, Muhammad Shaheen, who was appointed earlier this week as the new governor of the Central Bank, is not related to convicted business tycoon Khalid Shaheen.

The Prime Minister denied the media speculations that cited reasons for ousting Sharaf, including his denial to permit certain private banks, the grant from Saudi Arabia and its relation to investor Hassan Smeik, and the Wikileaks cables that cited Sharaf's positions on corruption and money laundering.

Bakhit also denied that the state will bear any financial obligations in Sharaf's removal, noting "Sharaf submitted his resignation; he was not ousted. The Prime Minister appoints and removes the Governor of the Central Bank."