RAJAB 26, 1440 AH TUESDAY, APRIL 2, 2019 28 Pages Max 26º Min 15 150 Fils Established 1961 ISSUE NO: 17797 The First Daily in the Arabian Gulf www.kuwaittimes.net After bird flu scare, pet No joke: Comedian Zelensky Grammy-nominated US rapper Federer sweeps past Isner 38market back in business favorite for Ukraine presidency 22 Nipsey Hussle shot dead in LA 28 in Miami final for 101st title Panel reaffirms taxing expat remittances is constitutional Health insurance for expats could reach KD 190 • MPs press for debate on fake degrees By B Izzak and A Saleh that imposing taxes on remittances by expats does not ally every year, starting from next year. In the first two violate justice and equality. Article 48 states: “Payment years - 2020 and 2021 - the cost will be KD 130 per KUWAIT: The National Assembly’s financial and eco- of taxes and contribution to public expenditure are a person per year. It will go up to KD 150 for the next Bouteflika to quit nomic affairs committee yesterday reaffirmed that duty in conformity with the law. The law shall exempt two years, then KD 170 and finally KD 190 in 2026- imposing a five percent tax on money transfers by small incomes from taxation in order to guarantee a 2027. The reports and the figures could not be immedi- ‘before mandate expatriates to their home countries does not violate the minimum income for living.” Ironically, the article the ately confirmed. constitution, brushing aside opposition by the govern- committee is citing to impose taxes on expatriates is the Meanwhile, five MPs - Mohammad Al-Dallal, Riyadh ment and another Assembly panel. The committee blunt- same that calls for exempting low-income people, a Al-Adasani, Adel Al-Damkhi, Rakan Al-Nisf and Osama ends’ on April 28 ly said that there is nothing in the constitution which majority of whom are expatriates. Al-Shaheen - submitted a request to hold a two-hour ALGIERS: Algeria’s ailing obliges achieving equality between Kuwaitis and expa- In January last year, the legal and legislative commit- special debate on the issue of fake university degrees, President Abdelaziz triates and justice in imposing taxes. tee rejected a draft law submitted by MP Safa Al- as the education ministry denied it had accepted Bouteflika will resign before The committee said that based on opinions by its Hashem to tax expat remittances, saying it is unconstitu- degrees issued by an unrecognized university in Athens, his mandate expires on April constitutional experts, equality and justice stipulated in tional. The government also rejected the bill because it where many Kuwaitis are believed to have obtained 28, his office said yesterday, the constitution do not mean achieving absolute and involves constitutional suspicions, while the Central their degrees. after a succession of loyalists complete justice amongst all, adding that articles 7 and Bank insisted it is against the national economy. The tax Dallal called for taking tough actions against those deserted him in the face of 29 of the constitution call for legal equality and justice could force expatriates to not keep any deposits in who used fake degrees to get government jobs, securing massive protests. The 82- only. Article 7 states: “Justice, freedom and equality are Kuwaiti banks or make any investments here. The finan- good salaries and top positions. “Involved people year-old, who has rarely the pillars of society; and cooperation and compassion cial committee still went ahead and approved the draft should be dealt with individually without threats to the been seen in public since a are the firm link binding all citizens,” while article 29 law, but it has not reached the floor for debate. In 2017, entire community they belong to,” he stressed, pointing 2013 stroke, has been cling- Bouteflika stipulates: “The people are peers in human dignity and authorities said KD 4 billion was remitted, but the share out that mere demands that holders of such degrees ing to power as pressure have, in the eyes of the law, equal public rights and obli- of Kuwaitis in the transfers is not clear. should refund all sums they had unlawfully earned to mounted for weeks over gations. There shall be made no differentiation among In another development, informed health sources escape legal accountability is unacceptable. “They must attempts to prolong his 20-year rule. Bouteflika will them because of race, origin, language or religion”. and reports said the government is planning to increase be prosecuted,” Dallal demanded, noting that it took too Continued on Page 24 Citing article 48 of the constitution, the panel insisted the compulsory health insurance for expatriates gradu- long to bring this issue to the open. Istanbul mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, was leading officials said they would challenge the alleged Erdogan’s AKP by nearly 28,000 votes with most ballot box- invalidation of tens of thousands of votes in es counted, Supreme Election Board (YSK) both cities. chairman Sadi Guven said. Imamoglu won AKP secretary general Fatoih Sahin said suffers upset in almost 4.16 million votes while the AKP can- the party will appeal in Ankara, saying the gap didate, former premier Binali Yildirim, won between the candidates “will narrow down two main cities 4.13 million. Both claimed victory in the early and I believe it will eventually turn into a posi- hours following a tight race for the country’s tive result for us”. Speaking to supporters in ANKARA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip largest city after results showing them in a Ankara after Sunday’s polls closed, Erdogan Erdogan’s ruling party suffered a major upset dead heat. “We want to start working as soon had said the election was a victory for the yesterday after local election results showed it as possible to serve people,” Imamoglu told AKP, which along with its coalition partner, lost the capital Ankara and Istanbul after a reporters yesterday. “We want to cooperate the rightwing Nationalist Movement Party, decade and half in power. Losing the country’s with all institutions of Turkey to quickly meet won more than 50 percent of votes overall. two major cities would be a stunning defeat the needs of Istanbul.” Erdogan appeared to accept AKP defeat for Erdogan, a former Istanbul mayor himself, In Ankara, opposition mayoral candidate in Istanbul, although he maintained that most whose ability to win at the ballot box has been Mansur Yavas had 50.89 percent of votes neighborhoods in the city were held by his unparalleled in Turkish history. Erdogan cam- ahead of the AKP’s Mehmet Ozhaseki on party. “Even if our people gave away the paigned hard, portraying Sunday’s vote for 47.06 percent, Anadolu state agency report- mayorship, they gave the districts to the AK mayors and district councils as a fight for the ed, with 99 percent of ballot boxes counted. Party,” he said. The party would appeal nation’s survival, but the election became a “Ankara has won. The loser in Ankara is results wherever needed, he added. Erdogan test for his Justice and Development Party Ozhaseki, dirty politics has lost,” Yavas told pledged that Turkey would now focus on its (AKP) after Turkey slipped into a recession supporters who were waving Turkish flags troubled economy in the run-up to national for the first time in a decade. and setting off fireworks at a celebratory rally. elections in 2023. ISTANBUL: Supporters of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) wave The opposition CHP party candidate for But in a sign of possible turmoil ahead, AKP Continued on Page 24 flags and light torches to celebrate election victories early yesterday. — AFP “Manyoshu”, an anthology of Japanese Reiwa: A new poems dating back 1,200 years that Aramco world’s “symbolizes our nation’s profound public culture and long tradition”. “Just like most profitable imperial era amazing plum flowers in full bloom that signal the arrival of spring after bitter name for Japan cold, each and every Japanese person company in 2018 can hope for the future and make their TOKYO: “Reiwa”: Japan yesterday own flowers blossom,” added the prime DUBAI: Oil giant Saudi Aramco revealed yesterday revealed the name of the era that will minister. “It is the first time it comes from it made the world’s biggest corporate profit last year, define the new emperor’s reign when he a Japanese text” rather than Chinese, opening its secretive accounts for the first time as it ascends the Chrysanthemum Throne noted Abe, often considered a nationalist. prepares to raise funds from investors. International next month following the first abdication Crowds gathered around Japan to ratings agencies Fitch and Moody’s got rare access in around 200 years. The new imperial watch live broadcasts of the announce- to Aramco’s accounts which show the firm posting name consists of two characters: “Rei”, ment, many cheering as the chief cabinet billions in profits. It comes as Aramco prepares to which can mean “order” but also “auspi- secretary held up a board with the name sell bonds on the international market to help finance cious” and “Wa”, usually translated as inked in stylized black calligraphy. “It has the purchase of a 70-percent stake in Saudi petro- “peace” or “harmony”. After weeks of a nice sound and you get a good feeling chemical behemoth SABIC for $69.1 billion, effec- fevered speculation and top-secret dis- when you read it. It’s a very good choice tively merging the kingdom’s two largest companies. cussions, the two “kanji” characters were I think,” said 24-year-old Shun Fujimoto The huge deal gives Crown Prince Mohammed unveiled to reveal a name that will last as as he joined a chaotic scrum for a special bin Salman’s ambitious reform program aimed at long as new emperor Naruhito’s rule.