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Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Prime Minister, Omar Razzaz, participated in an interactive session with a number of students of Jordanian public and private universities, at the invitation of the Center for Strategic Studies (CSS) at the University of Jordan, dedicated to discussing the general budget and government priorities.

During the event held at the Royal Cultural Center in the presence of Minister of State for Prime Minister Affairs Sami Daoud and Minister of State for Media Affairs Amjad Adayleh, Razzaz stressed his keenness on the students' participation in this interactive dialogue, emanating from the government's belief in involving youth in planning for the future, who will be the prospective leaders.

The premier presented the most prominent features and priorities of the 2020 state budget, announcing that " it will not include new taxes next year."

The budget is based on basic principles aimed at maintaining economic and financial stability and stimulating economic growth, which are conducive to creating job opportunities for Jordanian youth, increasing capital investment in partnership with the private sector, and improving the level of public services to citizens, especially in the sectors of health, education and public transport, Razzaz pointed out.

The budget, he announced, will review salaries in the public sector, which have not been seen any increase in nearly 10 years, and linking them to clear criteria to assess the performance of public employee.

He said: "The overall goal that the budget should seek in the coming years is to reach an equation in which our local revenues cover the state's basic expenses," adding "This goal may not be achieved in a year or two, but we must develop a clear plan to reach a stage where we are independent in our economic, financial decision and self-reliance, an objective that His Majesty King Abdullah II directs us to achieve. "

In this regard, he said: "We need to develop a plan to reduce the budget deficit and not to use any grants or loans to spend more on current expenditures."

Continuing: Budgetary spending included 65 percent of current expenditures on salaries and 15 percent on servicing interests of public debt, 10 percent of operating expenses, while capital expenditures that contribute to development and employment are only 14 percent, which should be increased.