The Kurdistan Region objects to the budget amendments and considers them “unconstitutional” and “contrary to the agreement”
The Kurdistan Region objects to the budget amendments and considers them “unconstitutional” and “contrary to the agreement”
2023-05-26 06:40
Shafaq News/ On Friday, the Kurdistan Regional Government expressed its strong rejection of the amendments made to the federal financial budget for the year 2023, which affect the region’s share of it.
The government said in a statement today that the amendments made by some members of the Finance Committee in the Iraqi Parliament, on the date corresponding to 25/5/2023 against the Kurdistan Region, regarding the draft budget law, are unconstitutional and contrary to the agreement between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the federal government.
The statement also considered that these amendments are “against the principles of the State Administration Coalition government agreement and the current government formation program that was voted on in the House of Representatives.”
And the statement continued, “We, as the Kurdistan Regional Government, will not accept in any way this repression and violation of the rights of the people of Kurdistan, and we will not abide by any decision other than the agreement reached with the government of Mr. Al-Sudani.”
Yesterday, Thursday, the 25th of May, the Parliamentary Finance Committee voted to oblige the Kurdistan Region to pay 10% monthly of the salaries deducted to its employees, while this was included in the budget amendments that are being discussed.
Shafaq News agency reporter said that this measure came as part of the committee’s amendments to the budget law, which are being discussed within the committee in preparation for submission to parliament for approval.
Yesterday, a member of the Parliamentary Finance Committee, Mustafa Sanad, revealed that the committee had voted to amend paragraphs related to the region in the budget law, related to the delivery of oil, while pointing to the withdrawal of representatives of the Democratic Party bloc from the meeting.
And the Kurdistan Regional Government announced, the day before yesterday, Wednesday, its refusal to make any change to the articles and items that include the financial dues of the region and are included in the draft Iraqi general budget law for the next three years.
For their part, deputies in the Democratic Party bloc refused to comment on the decision.
And the Iraqi Parliament Speaker, Muhammad al-Halbousi, said that next Saturday the parliament will vote on the draft budget law.
And the Iraqi Council of Ministers approved, on the 13th of last March, the largest financial budget in the history of the country, which exceeded 197 trillion and 828 billion Iraqi dinars (about 152.2 billion dollars), with a total deficit of 63 trillion Iraqi dinars, taking advantage of the rise in oil prices globally. , which constitutes more than 95% of the country’s financial revenues, amid objections from financial and legal experts regarding the budget items, but it has not yet been approved due to disagreements.
And the Kurdistan Regional Government implemented Resolution No. (64) issued since 2016, the policy of financial austerity through the compulsory savings program for employees, except for the security forces (Asayish and Peshmerga), as savings began from 15% of the employees’ salaries, with 50% deducted from the pension for special grades. .
While the Finance Committee in the Kurdistan Parliament returned in 2022 to form a subcommittee to prepare a report on restoring the salary saving system, which will be submitted to the Presidency of Parliament upon its completion.
Recently, the regional government has denied, on several occasions, the reduction of salaries or the re-imposition of compulsory savings, considering the matter as a “red line” that cannot be touched.
shafaq.com
