MESOP : MONEY GO HOME ? NEVER ! / SOUTH KURDISTAN IRAQ

Political factions in Iraqi Kurdistan urge return of cash reserves stored abroad

SULAIMANI, Kurdistan region ‘Iraq’,— At least six factions of Iraqi Kurdistan Parliament urged authorities to bring back money taken “illegally” from the Kurdistan Region by companies and politicians.

Nrttv 3 Feb 1016 – The Change Movement (Gorran), Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU), Kurdistan Islamic Group (KIG), Kurdistan Islamic Movement, Freedom List and Sons of Mesopotamia issued a joint-statement on Tuesday (Feb. 2) calling on the authorities to return the money which has been stored in the international banks back to the region.“What is important in this crisis is that the authorities do their job and bring back the nation’s right to the nation, without condoning any person or parties,” the statement read.According to the statement, the region’s financial resources and cash reserves have been sent out of the country, which makes the government un able to pay salaries due to the lack of cash flow.

“After the Parliament has been reactivated, the Parliament should investigate the issue and the Kurdistan Commission of Integrity should also start investigating in the money which was sent out of the region,” said the statement.The group’s call came after a number of diplomats and public figures said some companies and politicians took the money out of the Kurdistan Region to international countries, adding the Region now needs the money to tackle its economic crisis. Similarly, Second Deputy Secretary-General of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Barham Salih said in NRT Tawtwe Program that the money that was taken out of the region by some companies and political leaders “must” be returned to the region.

Many Kurdish leaders from the Barzani’s KDP and Talabani’s PUK ruling parties have been accused by critics of amassing huge wealth for their families instead of serving the population