President Barzani Sounds Alarm Over Amendments to Iraq's Budget
Shafaq News/ Nechirvan Barzani, the President of the Kurdistan region, on Saturday expressed grave apprehensions over proposed alterations to Iraq's federal budget bill that impinge upon the constitutional rights of the Kurdistan region, resolutely denouncing these modifications.
"The manoeuvre sets up a significant obstacle in the path of the general budget bill, a piece of legislation that is seen by Iraqis 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 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 harboured 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 as 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. As a response 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.
