Shafaq News- Baghdad

The parliamentary Hoqooq bloc, affiliated with Kataib Hezbollah, called on Iraqis affected by the devaluation of the dinar on Saturday to reject the government's decision and join the bloc in challenging it before the Federal Supreme Court.

Bloc leader Saud al-Saadi told a news conference that the problem was mismanagement and the absence of a real fight against corruption, for which he blamed every Iraqi government since 2003.

Asked by Shafaq News whether Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi should appear before parliament, al-Saadi said the prime minister needed to explain the decision to the public. "It is not a personal matter. Simply saying he takes responsibility is not enough, as the issue concerns the entire country.”

The bloc is gathering lawmakers' signatures to call a special parliamentary session on the dollar rate and host the officials responsible for the matter, according to al-Saadi.

Read more: Iraqi dinar devaluation sparks backlash from blocs inside the cabinet

The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) raised official cash selling for the public from 1,320 to 1,520 dinars per dollar, prompting political parties and trade unions to demand a reversal. Governor Nizar Hussein informed parliament’s Finance Committee that the new official rate of 1,500 was fixed, with the draft federal budget already built around it.

Iraq receives almost all government revenue in dollars from oil exports and exchanges those dollars through the central bank for dinars used to finance public spending, including salaries.

Read more: Source: Iraqi leaders backed dollar hike before announcement