House Speaker rejects attempts to undermine press freedom

Calling the press “a citizen’s eye”, Lower House of Parliament Speaker Faisal Fayez on Saturday said he is opposed to any assault on press freedom and stressed that all means should be made available for journalists to carry out their job without hindrance. Fayez said he regretted a police attack on media personnel during a recent protest march at Palm Square in downtown Amman and said those behind it should be brought to account. He also said the government had a true will for political and economic reform to give the public a wider say in national affairs and enable the country to face economic challenges. The House speaker said radical constitutional amendments would be made to enhance democratic and political life, noting the changes would give wider powers to the three authorities, particularly the legislative authority. However, he added, the pace of reforms should be accelerated so that the citizens would feel their impact and to dispel any misgivings and apprehensions about the reform drive.