Representative Faleh Khazali reveals “political pressures” on the budget
Representative Faleh Khazali reveals “political pressures” on the budget
2023-05-12
The head of the Agriculture, Water and Marshes Committee in the House of Representatives, Faleh Khazali, confirmed that the federal budget is subject to “political pressures”, while he considered that these pressures are “natural”, revealing at the same time the share of the ministries of agriculture and water resources from the budget.
Al-Khazali said, in a televised statement, “This is the first budget in the history of the Iraqi state to be comprehensive for three years, and it is consistent with what was stated in Financial Management Law No. 6 of 2019, and this law will give the government space to take its role at the executive level and sustain the executive movement at all levels.” Pointing out that “what is stated in the budget is subject to interview and discussion, and the Finance Committee is making great efforts to correct it.”
He added, “The current budget, like any previous budget, was subjected to political pressure,” noting that “differences between the political blocs are normal, as each bloc searches for its interests within the budget and what secures access to its entitlements according to what it sees.”
Al-Khazali suggested that the budget be approved on “the current May 17 or two or three days after that date,” considering that “proceeding with the approval will give comfort to the government to carry out its work,” noting that “there are promising projects, loans, agreements, obligations, and projects pending on approving the budget in line with the program government of Muhammad al-Sudani.
A member of the House of Representatives revealed that “the share of the Ministries of Agriculture and Water Resources does not exceed 1% at the operational level, compared to the total budget level.”
And while he stressed the necessity of “fair justice for all provinces, especially the south and the center,” he indicated that “the budget will reveal the extent of the Kurdistan Regional Government’s friendship with the Baghdad government, in terms of handing over sovereign federal revenues (taxes, customs, and collection) and half of the revenues from the ports, gas and oil revenues, and everything federal. The real credibility will be in the implementation of political agreements.”
Al-Khazali continued, “We have reservations about what is stated in the budget regarding giving projects to ministries more than headquarters to the governorates, stressing that many ministerial projects are lagging and have problems with cost, quality, implementation and financing in all sectors.”
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