Its hero is Al-Mandlawi… Warnings against repeating the second “theft of the century” scenario in the 2025 budget.
Its hero is Al-Mandlawi… Warnings against repeating the second “theft of the century” scenario in the 2025 budget.
6-17-2025
Al-Ma’alouma/Baghdad:
Political analyst Ibrahim Al-Sarraj warned on Tuesday against a repeat of what he described as the “second theft of the century” scandal in the 2025 budget, holding the parliament’s leadership responsible for its laxity in holding accountable those involved in corruption and the squandering of public funds.
Al-Sarraj told Al-Maalouma News Agency, “The 2024 budget revealed major financial and administrative violations, demonstrating the extent of political influence exercised within parliament by the parliament’s presidency, represented by its chairman, Mohsen al-Mandalawi. This portends the possibility of the same scenario being repeated in the 2025 budget if radical action is not taken.”
He added that “the weak performance of parliamentarians, the dominance of the parliament presidency, and the prioritization of partisan interests over national interests are all factors that encourage the continuation of a corrupt environment and open the door for influential parties to plunder public funds under the cover of the law.”
Al-Sarraj pointed out that “the parliament’s leadership has not made any notable achievements during the legislative session, except for media appearances and attempts to polish its image in the eyes of the public, especially during Mandalawi’s term,” stressing that “some figures implicated in corruption cases, most notably the Second Century Theft Case, are planning to run again in the upcoming elections without any legal or popular deterrent.”
The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mohsen al-Mandalawi, is no longer just a name on the list of accused. He has become a clear symbol of parliament’s complicity in covering up the largest financial fraud Iraq has ever known. By refusing to form an investigative committee into the 2024 budget scandal, dubbed the “second theft of the century,” he reveals a suspicious role in protecting those involved and covering up the manipulation of billions of dollars.
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