"Iraqi Chief Justice invites UNAMI to help address the election impediments of the "Federal Region

Shafaq News/ The head of Iraq's Federal Supreme Court, Jassim Mohammed Aboud, on Sunday called on the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) to play a role in resolving the obstacles to holding the parliamentary elections in the Kurdistan Region, which he described as a "federal region" citing article 117 of the Iraqi constitution. 

A statement from the council's media office said that "the Chief Justice, Judge Jassim Mohammed Aboud, received today the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General in Iraq, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, and her accompanying delegation at the headquarters of the council in Baghdad."

The meeting discussed the role of UNAMI since 2003, praised the "great sacrifices it made, including the martyrdom of Sergio Vieira de Mello, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Iraq at the time, in a terrorist bombing."

The judge, according to the statement, said the mission played a role "in what Iraq has reached now, especially in the term of elections," as it helped "guarantee the election's integrity and comprehensiveness."

He then invited UNAMI to "play a role in resolving the obstacles facing holding the elections of the Kurdistan Region's Parliament."

Aboud defended the Desert Supreme Court's decision and said the ruling on domiciliation of pensions, salaries, and social support in federal banks came in response to a lawsuit filed before the judges by the public servants of the Kurdistan Region themselves.

"The Court does choose the lawsuits. Plaintiffs file them," he added. "The difference between the federal and regional governments on the interpretation of the budget law might affect the disbursement of the salaries this week."

"The Constitution of the Republic of Iraq, in accordance with Article 117, recognizes the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and its existing authorities as a federal region," he said. "Regional authorities, in accordance with Article 121/First of this constitution, have the right to exercise legislative, executive, and judicial powers in accordance with the provisions of this constitution, except for what is included therein. Exclusive powers of the federal authorities."