Amman prosecutor registers legal complaint against MPs over lifetime pensions

AMMAN — The Amman prosecutor general’s office on Monday registered a legal complaint by a Jordanian against deputies and senators for their decision to grant themselves lifetime pensions after listening to his testimony, according to the plaintiff.

“I have the number of the case,” Mahmoud Abu Hilal told The Jordan Times, adding that he is keen on following up on the complaint even if he has to cover the legal fees himself.

The resident of Zarqa, some 22km east of Amman, lodged the complaint in the capital because he was told it will get “more attention” although it would have been easier for him to do so at the Zarqa prosecutor general’s office.

The complaint addressed lawmakers’ “exploitation of their positions to receive personal benefits”, the 48-year-old member of the Jordanian Writers Association said.

In remarks to The Jordan Times on Sunday, Abu Hilal said he consulted a group of lawyers who agreed that MPs should not benefit from civil retirement pensions because they are not public employees. 

The complaint is “legally faulty”, because the lawmakers’ decision can only be challenged once the law is endorsed and approved by His Majesty King Abdullah, advocate and legal consultant Omar Aljazy told The Jordan Times this week.

Aljazy expected the prosecutor general to shelve the case until a decision is taken regarding the lawmakers’ move.

At a joint session of last Thursday, members of the Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament decided to grant themselves lifetime pensions equal to those of ministers under the draft civil retirement law, after introducing some changes to a previous version that the King rejected in 2012.

The bill includes a provision that sets a minimum of seven years of service in the post as an eligibility requirement for deputies, senators and ministers. In addition, the bill grants all lawmakers who were members of Parliament on May 20, 2010 and henceforth the same benefits.

If the law goes into effect, lawmakers’ pensions will be calculated based on a minister’s basic salary, which is JD3,000 per month.

The cost of the lawmakers’ decision, which has enraged the public, is expected to reach around JD6 million a year, a figure that will increase every new parliamentary term, if the law is enacted.