KDP Lawmaker Accuses Political Entities of Undermining Government's Program

Shafaq News/ A member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party's (KDP) bloc in the Iraqi parliament on Saturday accused certain political factions of undermining Prime Minister Mohammas Shia al-Sudani's government program by hindering the passing of the budget law.

Lawmaker Mahma Khalil told Shafaq News Agency, "the clauses related to the Kurdistan Region in the budget bill were mutually agreed upon by the governments of Baghdad and Erbil after several rounds of negotiations. There is no justification for circumventing this agreement, which is backed by political leaders."

Khalil highlighted that attempts to disregard the agreement between Baghdad and Erbil, as well as to modify the Kurdistan Region-specific clauses in the budget bill, are intended to target Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's government program by stalling the budget's approval.

"The bill cannot be passed after this modification. It is contrary to the political agreement among the member parties of the State Administration coalition and the agreements reached between the governments of Baghdad and Erbil."

Nechirvan Barzani, the President of the Kurdistan region, voiced concerns over the proposed alterations in a press release issued yesterday.

"The maneuver sets up a significant obstacle in the path of the general budget bill, a piece of legislation that Iraqis see as instrumental for the upcoming three years," stated Barzani.

In an official statement, Barzani said the parties should adhere to the principles enshrined in the State Administration Coalition's political agreement, which stands as a linchpin for Iraq's political stability and a beacon for the country's brighter future.

Violating this agreement, Barzani cautioned, "represents a style of governance entirely contrary to national responsibility, creating nothing but disillusionment and turbulence in the country's political stability and inflicting harm on Iraq in its entirety."

Reflecting on the history and previous experiences, Barzani contended that a governance approach that revolves around the notion of majority and minority, infringing upon rights and entitlements of the components of Iraq, has never harbored security or stability, nor will it ever do so.

He said, "we exhort all parties, particularly the State Administration Coalition parties, to uphold their commitments outlined in the agreements and conduct themselves with an appropriate degree of responsibility."

The president urged solidarity amongst Kurdish parties, asserting, "It is incumbent upon the Kurdish parties to present a united front and coalesce in defending our constitutional rights."

Barzani reiterated Kurdistan's readiness to resolve all issues in adherence to the constitutional framework. He credited the recent months of collaborative efforts, mutual understanding, and harmony among Iraqi factions for bringing about a sense of relief among the people of Iraq and its allies.

The president called for reinforcing this cooperative trajectory, warning against "elements" that seek to distort agreements and complicate the situation.

His concerns were echoed by Kurdistan's Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, who decried the actions of members of the Parliamentary Finance Committee that have introduced changes to the federal budget bill.

He deemed these alterations a violation of a prior agreement with Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani and his government.

"This agreement is the cornerstone of cooperation between Erbil and Baghdad, and it is incumbent upon everyone to respect its tenets," he asserted.

The broader implications of these alterations are already being felt. The Parliamentary Finance Committee has moved to mandate the Kurdistan region to pay 10% monthly of deducted employee salaries. Responding to these actions, members of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) block have withdrawn from the parliamentary meeting.

In a sternly worded statement, the Kurdistan Regional Government declared its refusal to acquiesce to any changes to the clauses and provisions of Iraq's general budget bill pertaining to the financial entitlements of the region for the next three years.