28 Mar 2024
Tuesday 30 January 2018 - 15:43
Story Code : 291954

Irans parliament rejects Rouhanis anti-subsidy budget

Al-Monitor- When President Hassan Rouhani presented his administrations budget proposal on Dec. 10, he gave acontroversial speechon the parliament floor about corruption, which many observers believe played a contributing factor to the protests that rocked Iran. While Rouhani may have hoped the speech would garner public support for his economic planafter parliament rejected his general budget proposal for 2018-2019, it seems that the speech may actually backfire, causing the president to retreat oneconomic reforms, particularly those targeting subsidies.


Of the lawmakers that were present, 120voted against the budgetbill and 83 voted in favor. A joint commission will revise the budget outline. Parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani gave the commission72 hours to introducea revised budget.

The parliamentarians objected to the budgets proposal oneliminating cash handoutsfor 33 million Iranians, reducing gasoline subsidies, tax exemptions for low-wage earners and the lack of attention for thelivelihood of teachers. Regarding the plan to eliminate 33 million Iranians from the cash subsidy payments, parliamentarian Mehrdad Lahooti, a member of the joint commission reviewing the budget, said that the mechanism to eliminatethe cash handouts was not explained and this could have negative consequencesfor the country.

The parliamentarians who voted against the budget had expressed hope that the revised bill by the joint commission would address employment, absolute poverty and resolvingeconomic problems.


Read more here
https://theiranproject.com/vdcjive8xuqehhz.92fu.html
Your Name
Your Email Address