Ammon News - Government Communications Minister and government spokesperson Mohammad Al-Momani confirmed on Tuesday that the resignation of Labor Minister Khaled Al-Bakkar came as a result of a conflict with the Ministerial Code of Conduct signed by all cabinet members.

Speaking in an interview with Husna Radio, Al-Momani said there was no legal violation in the procedures related to awarding the tenders, noting that the government is working on preparing a new regulation to govern ministerial work and prevent conflicts of interest, which will be given urgent priority.

He explained that the tenders linked to the case involving Minister Khaled Al-Bakkar were legal and had received all official approvals from the relevant committees. However, it was agreed to terminate them with the concerned company in accordance with legal procedures, as the situation conflicted with the Code of Conduct commitments made by ministers — not because of any legal violation or breach of existing laws.

Al-Momani said Al-Bakkar assumed his moral responsibility and submitted his resignation at the request of the prime minister, stressing that the issue was not related to corruption or a legal violation, but rather to the government’s commitment to ethical standards outlined in the Code of Conduct.

He added that the upcoming regulation aims to provide legal authority to oversight bodies and specialized committees, enabling them to prevent potential conflicts of interest in ministerial work. While current legislation and the Code of Conduct already regulate this matter, the new regulation will provide clearer and stricter legal tools.

Al-Momani said the regulation will not be limited to ministers alone but will also address their relationship with relatives, explaining that the degrees of kinship covered and the restrictions that would apply will be determined through the legal provisions being prepared by the relevant committee.

He added that the goal is to ensure fairness, so that no person is prevented from pursuing legitimate business activities, while ensuring that public office is not exploited and conflicts of interest are avoided.

Regarding whether ministers’ relatives would be banned from applying for government tenders, Al-Momani said these details would be determined by the provisions of the new regulation after completion of the legal review, balancing citizens’ right to conduct business with the protection of public funds and prevention of conflicts of interest.

He confirmed that the legal committee, chaired by the Minister of Justice, is currently drafting the regulation, and expected it to be completed and issued as soon as possible after the Cabinet granted it urgent status.