Final accounts open the door to accountability… Parliament opens the Pandora’s box of previous budgets
Final accounts open the door to accountability… Parliament opens the Pandora’s box of previous budgets
7-25-2026
Information / Report…
Political and public attention in Iraq is focused on the parliament, which is preparing to open the Pandora’s box of previous budgets. Burning questions remain about whether the discussion of the final accounts will unleash new corruption scandals or simply end up in the usual backroom deals.
The reports of the Board of Supreme Audit are no longer mere numbers; they have become anticipated indictments, placing government performance and public spending under intense parliamentary scrutiny. With years of unresolved final accounts, observers believe these sessions will represent a fierce confrontation between oversight committees and executive bodies accused of squandering billions. Meanwhile, skepticism prevails among the public, who fear this strict constitutional tool will be used for political blackmail, allowing sensitive issues to be traded behind closed doors, leaving the truth hidden.
For his part, MP Riyadh Adai described the Board of Supreme Audit’s report as “disappointing,” arguing that it did not reflect the true extent of financial waste within state institutions.
Adai told Al-Maalomah that “the report failed to mention the true extent of the wasted funds and did not clearly name the officials or entities involved in financial and administrative corruption cases.”
He added that “there are major contentious issues in several ministries, including the Ministries of Defense, Transportation, and Trade, which are the backbone of ensuring citizens’ livelihoods.” He pointed out that “these ministries signed contracts with several companies that resulted in the waste of significant sums of money, in addition to disbursing bonuses from insurance funds in violation of the law.”
For his part, Shaker Mahmoud, a member of the Parliamentary Integrity Committee, confirmed a flaw in the performance of the Federal Board of Supreme Audit, calling for a review of its operational mechanisms to strengthen its oversight role.
Mahmoud told Al-Maalomah that “there is a clear flaw in the performance of the Federal Board of Supreme Audit, which necessitates a comprehensive review of its operational mechanisms to align with the requirements of the current stage.”
He indicated that addressing the shortcomings hindering the Board’s work will contribute to strengthening its oversight role and monitoring the performance of state institutions, thus ensuring the protection of public funds and raising the efficiency of financial and administrative oversight.
From a legal standpoint, regarding the question of whether Parliament’s vote on the final accounts will close the case or refer those responsible to the judiciary and the Integrity Commission, constitutional law expert Ali al-Tamimi explained that the final accounts are not a draft law but rather a final report on actual budget expenditures. He emphasized that their ratification by the House of Representatives does not mean closing the case or exempting anyone from responsibility for financial irregularities.
Al-Tamimi told the Al-Maalomah news agency, “The Federal Financial Management Law stipulates that the final accounts report be submitted to Parliament, where the Council exercises its oversight role by discussing and voting on the report.” He clarified that “in the event of any financial violations, those responsible will be referred to the judiciary, the Integrity Commission, and the Public Prosecution to initiate legal proceedings against them.”
He added that “voting on the final accounts only signifies approval of the figures contained therein and does not negate or dismiss the identified violations.” He pointed out that “ratification does not grant immunity to those involved but rather opens the door for judicial and oversight bodies to hold accountable those responsible for any waste or manipulation of public funds.”
almaalomah.me
