His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday reaffirmed the rule of law and protecting citizens as top priorities, and stressed the importance of rejecting wasta (nepotism) in all its forms.

During a teleconference meeting with governors, attended by HRH Crown Prince Hussein, King Abdullah urged teamwork, as well as continued coordination and cooperation among all state agencies to uphold the rule of law, especially in dealing with racketeers threatening citizens’ safety and security, expressing support to governors in that regard, according to a Royal Court statement.

His Majesty highlighted the role of administrative governors during these exceptional circumstance, noting the importance of direct communication with citizens and urging governors to bolster their outreach efforts to address public concerns.

Turning to the upcoming parliamentary elections, the King stressed the importance of taking the measures necessary to ensure transparency, while safeguarding public health and wellbeing.

For his part, Interior Minister Tawfiq Halalmeh affirmed commitment to upholding the rule of law, noting that the relevant agencies will not waver in enforcing the law to maintain security and reassure the public.

The minister added that campaigns against racketeering and lawless behaviour will continue, to put an end to all infringements against the law and violations of people’s rights.

Halalmeh said the ministry has a comprehensive plan to ensure the success of the electoral process, in addition to maintaining the safety and wellbeing of citizens.

A number of governors also presented the measures taken in their governorates to uphold the rule of law and deal with violations against citizens and property, noting that citizens are partners in this process.

The governors also highlighted steps taken to support the efforts of the Independent Election Commission, to ensure a smooth electoral process and protect public health.

Royal Hashemite Court Chief Yousef Issawi and Adviser to His Majesty for Policies Haifa Khraisha attended the meeting.