Parliament Resumes Session to Vote on Remaining Budget Articles
Shafaq News / The Iraqi Council of Representatives resumed its session on Sunday to vote on the remaining articles of the budget law for the years 2023, 2024, and 2025. The session entered its fourth day of deliberations, lasting until the early hours of dawn.
Yesterday, the Iraqi Parliament passed the controversial Article 14, which pertains to the Kurdistan Region's share, leaving around 30 articles out of the total 67 fixed by the law, excluding the additional provisions added during the deliberations.
A parliamentary source informed Shafaq News Agency that preliminary understanding was reached among the members of Parliament to pass the remaining articles during today's session, except for Articles 15 and 42 of the budget law.
The source added that Article 15 stipulates a three-year freeze on appointments in government ministries and departments, a provision that has faced opposition from many parliamentary members. On the other hand, Article 42 imposes taxes and fees on domestic and imported gasoline, as well as on every traveler passing through Iraqi airports.
The parliamentary finance committee is working to reach a solution for these two articles, which will either be rejected or subject to amendments in order to reach a resolution during today's session.
On March 13th of the previous year, the Iraqi Cabinet approved the draft budget law for the current year, along with the years 2024 and 2025, and referred it to the Council of Representatives for approval.
The budget for the current year amounts to 197 trillion and 828 billion Iraqi dinars (approximately $152.2 billion), with a total deficit of 63 trillion dinars (approximately $48.3 billion). However, the budgets for the years 2023 and 2024 have not been published yet.
