Bahrain Parliament endorses pro-GCC citizens draft law

Manama: The Lower House has approved a draft law that allows Gulf Cooperation Council citizens to engage in detail and wholesale trade activities in Bahrain.

The draft was initially opposed by several lawmakers who argued that Bahraini merchants and sellers would suffer from the impeding competition.

Ali Salman, the head of Al Wefaq, the largest parliamentary bloc called for an amendment of the draft to stipulate that Bahrainis will receive a similar treatment in the other member countries of the GCC.

Heated arguments between MPs who opposed and those who advocated the draft law led to the temporary suspension of the debates for further consultations. The draft law was later endorsed and will now be moved to the upper house where liberal members dominate.

Bahrain has regularly endorsed legislation that allows GCC nationals to be treated as citizens in running their own businesses in the kingdom.