Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Minister of State for Media Affairs, Amjad Adaileh, highlighted the government's efforts to combat corruption and tax evasion, and solidarity and social protection programs that were provided during the coronavirus pandemic.

121 cases were referred by the Prime Ministry to the Jordan Integrity and Anti-Corruption Commission (JACC) in 2019, excluding cases that were referred by other ministries and public institutes, Adaileh said in a joint press conference with Ministers of Health and Education held Tuesday at the Prime Ministry.

He also pointed out that the number of cases that the Prime Ministry referred to the JACC in the first half of 2020 amounted to 35 cases so far, excluding cases that were referred by other ministries and public institutes.

The minister also highlighted the number of families benefiting from solidarity and social protection programs, which amounted to 812,000 families so far.

On the funding program launched by the Central Bank to support SMEs affected by the coronavirus pandemic; Adaileh said that the number of establishments and companies that benefited from it until June 25 amounted to 3,406 companies and establishments.

In response to a question on reasons for keeping the defense law in force despite the improvement of the epidemiological situation in the Kingdom, Adaileh said that the government resorted to this law to protect many workers and employees in the private sector. "Without the defense orders, we wouldn't have been able to provide protection for 812,000 families, either through the Social Security Corporation, the central bank facilities, or the National Aid Fund."

He underlined that the defense orders issued by the government benefited tens of thousands of employees and workers, stressing that when the defense law is no longer needed, it will be canceled.