Ammon News - By Shaherah Khatatbeh

AMMONNEWS – 35 Members of Parliament on Saturday threatened to boycott the parliamentary extraordinary session set to commence soon if the 'Dead Sea Casino deal' investigation is not scheduled for deliberations.

A Royal Decree is expected to be issued in upcoming weeks summoning the Lower House of Parliament into an extraordinary session with specific matters and legislations to discuss, which have not yet been announced.

The MPs stressed the need to deliberate on the scandal that came to be known as the "Dead Sea Casino Deal," signed by Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit's first government in 2007.

The special parliamentary committee investigating the Casino deal had concluded its inquiry earlier this month, but did not disclose detailed information on its findings because parliament, with jurisdiction to deliberate on the matter, is in recess.

The details remained confidential, but the committee announced the general frame of the results of the investigation that lasted 4 weeks, and listened to testimonies of 66 individuals, including three prime ministers.

Earlier this month, Committee Chair MP Khalil Attiyah revealed Heavy-weight bureaucratic gaffes and transgressions committed in the 1997 signing of the defunct Dead Sea Casino deal, with potential indictments of government officials, including current and former ministers.

The investigations revealed fraud, abuse of power, illegal administrative practices, concealing official documents, and violating public oath committed by officials in Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit's first term.

The committee requested from the Parliament speaker to inform the Prosecutor General of names of public and private sector employees involved in the scandal, who need to be further investigated and questioned over their involvement.



* June 8th, 2011 photo: MP Khalil Attiyah announces results of Dead Sea Casino Deal investigation in press conference.