SOUTH KURDISTAN (IRAQ) – MESOP NEWS “FIN DE PARTIE / ALL OVER NOW!”

Passing Budget Bill Without Kurds Puts a Full Stop to Political Partnership: MP

Basnews English – 4 March 2018 – ERBIL — After Iraq’s 2018 budget bill was passed by the parliament in the absence of Kurdish representatives, the political partnership in the country is drawn to an end, said a Kurdish lawmaker.

On Saturday, 3rd March, the Iraqi parliament voted for the suggested budget bill after weeks of debates and in the absence of the Kurdish lawmakers who were objecting to the slashed share of the Kurdistan Region in the bill.  “The budget bill is for 15 provinces of Iraq, not the Kurdish ones,” said MP Najiba Najib.

Iraq’s 2018 budget violates several constitutional articles against the Kurdistan Region, the MP pointed out, explaining that among them is article 14 from the constitution and other laws which highlight a fair distribution of national revenues between all components of Iraq. “Parliament Speaker Slaim al-Jabouri bears the responsibility for all the violations,” MP Najib stated.

Concerning the absence of Kurdish parliamentary factions at the session, Najib said the Kurds were not willing to witness the passing of a bill which first and foremost violates the principles of partnership in Iraq and puts an end to that. www.mesop.de