MESOPOTAMIA NEWS : CORRUPTION IN KURDISTAN (IRAQ)  – Iraqi Kurdistan government bought luxury cars for Judicial Council: MP

6 March 2019 – HEWLÊR-Erbil, Iraq’s Kurdistan region,— Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has bought 19 Toyota Land Cruisers for the members of the Kurdistan Region’s Judicial Council, according to a New Generation lawmaker Mam Burhan Qan.Qani also said that the KRG has purchased a number of Mercedes luxury cars for Council, which will reportedly be used for protocol purposes.

“According to the Judiciary Law 23 of 2007, the judiciary should purchase what it needs on its own. Additionally, the KRG has previously bought cars for judges,” he said.

“The Council has its own budget,” added the member of the Kurdistan Parliament.

It was unclear why the government bought nineteen Land Cruisers, when the Council only has fourteen members.

The Kurdistan Parliament’s presidency earlier proposed giving MPs cars and an assistance fund. The New Generation Movement caucus has rejected the proposal.

Parliament presidency suggests vehicles, assistance fund for lawmakers: MP

The Kurdistan Parliament’s presidency has discussed allocating resources to provide lawmakers with vehicles and an assistance fund, a New Generation MP said on February 27, 2019.Head of New Generation caucus Kazim Faruq told NRT TV that the parliament’s presidency, which includes the speaker and deputy speakers, and the heads of the party caucuses discussed the proposal during a meeting on Wednesday.

“We promised our voters before the election that we don’t go to parliament for privileges and benefits, we reject getting vehicles for lawmakers,” Faruq said.

“It is sad that the parliament’s works are now about discussion of salaries, privileges, and financial benefits after four months of waiting for parliament.”

The parliament’s first duty is to cancel a system of withholding salaries of employees and to improve the livelihood of people and employees as well as construction of projects, he added.

“Presidency of Parliament has returned the reason of providing vehicles and funds for helping lawmakers to being patient, funeral, and necessities,” Faruq noted.

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