An economist expresses surprise: The government raises prices while asking merchants not to raise them.
An economist expresses surprise: The government raises prices while asking merchants not to raise them.
2026-10-15
Shafaq News – Baghdad
On Thursday, economist Nabil Al-Marsoumi expressed surprise at the demand for merchants not to raise the prices of their goods following the devaluation of the dinar, at a time when government institutions are raising the prices of their services.
Al-Marsoumi said in a statement received by Shafaq News Agency, “It is strange that we ask merchants not to raise the prices of their goods as a result of the devaluation of the dinar, while government institutions such as Iraqi Airways are raising ticket prices, and the Civil Status Directorate has raised the price of the electronic passport.”
He added that other government institutions “might” take the same step “in response to the devaluation of the dinar against the dollar.”
The Central Bank of Iraq announced on October 6 that it had adopted a new selling price for the dollar to the public of 1,520 dinars instead of 1,320 dinars, which has been the price in effect since February 2023, with implementation to begin on October 7, 2026.
The Civil Status, Passports and Residence Directorate decided to raise the fee for the electronic passport to 101,000 dinars after it was 91,000 dinars, without an official confirmation from the directorate so far.
Iraqi Airways also raised ticket prices after the government ended subsidies for jet fuel in September, with the price per liter rising from 300 to about 1,500 dinars.
shafaq.com
