Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Minister of State for Media Affairs and the government's spokesman, Mohammad Al Momani said the national economy is strong and solid and reforms are necessary and important for the economy.

In a joint meeting with Minister of Finance, Omar Malhas attended by journalists and media figures, Al-Momani said the government's message for the political and societal forces is that the current moment is a moment of national responsibility "and that the government has taken these measures in order to fix our economic course, which are necessary and national steps."

He said the citizen has the right to know all details of these measures, noting that "making the correct and fully-studied economic decision will take us to the stage where we stop the budget deficit and therefore the debt growth."

On the economic reform program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Momani said it was a national program under a national will and its details were drafted by the Jordanian government and there were no dictations for the actions taken by the government for economic correction.

In turn, Finance Minister said the government's measures to address the economic situation, the debt and the deficit will not affect the middle and poor class nor goods and basic foodstuffs.

He added that more than 70 per cent of consumer goods, whose numbers reach up to about 7800 within customs commodity items, will not be affected by the raise of tax, noting that sales tax amendment is targeting luxury goods and services, and that was done in agreement with the private sector and in particular the General Association for Foodstuffs Merchants.