WOTS WED AUG 17 22 A new comment on the resignation of the Minister of Finance of Iraq Ali Allawi
Allawi's REsignation letter translation
Honorable Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi,
I am writing to inform you of my decision to resign as Minister of Finance, because I believe that the time is right for me to leave the government.
From the perspective of the economic and financial conditions of this country, the situation is stable and there are no immediate issues. The country's financial situation is in good shape, our treasury liquidity is good, our foreign exchange levels are very high, the economy as a whole is also doing well, and the IMF expects growth of 11% this year.
On the administrative side, I believe that the current senior general managers, led by the acting undersecretary, can manage the day-to-day tasks of the Ministry of Finance under the supervision of the Acting Minister of Finance. We do not have a budget for 2022, as this government was not allowed to submit one because of its status as the caretaker government of the day. However, the Food Security Act has given us enough flexibility to continue to cover recurring expenses and any other additional expenses until such time as the budget can be drafted by the new government.
and approved by the House of Representatives.
Prime Minister,
When you first asked me to join your government, I accepted, and I appreciate your trust in me as a person and in my abilities. I have known you for more than 30 years. First in the struggle against dictatorship and then in the new regime that emerged after 2003. I have always considered you a friend and colleague, and I did not ask for this position, either directly or indirectly, and I did not seek to continue my career in the world of politics. I have not made any promise or had any contact with any party or political figure on any matter relating to the position of Minister of Finance. I accepted the position because I felt capable of contributing to the new government and striving to improve the welfare of the country and its people. I wanted to help overcome the severe crises we faced and to set the framework for a long-term reform and restructuring plan for the economy. I did not envision a long-term existence, because this government is tasked with arranging elections quickly. I have told you that I did not envision remaining in government after the date of the elections, which I thought would take place by the end of 2020. In this case, elections were held Or I had any contact with any party or political figure in any matter related to the position of Minister of Finance. I accepted the position because I felt capable of contributing to the new government and striving to improve the welfare of the country and its people. I wanted to help overcome the severe crises we faced and to set the framework for a long-term reform and restructuring plan for the economy. I did not envision a long-term existence, because this government is tasked with arranging elections quickly. I have told you that I did not envision myself remaining in government after the date of the elections, which I thought would take place by the end of 2020. In this case, elections were held in October 2021 and they agreed to remain in the government until that date and to form a new government.
It has been almost a year since the elections were held and there is no new government in sight yet. Our term has been extended due to political problems. But the government in which she agreed to serve has changed from a government with full powers to a caretaker government. A daily caretaker, almost by definition, has a limited life of a few weeks. We are now in a situation where our tenure is a regular government but our legal and operational status is a caretaker government. It is very frustrating to be in a situation where we know what to do but are unable to do so due to the very limited scope of work and the absence of parliamentary legitimacy. The opposite is also true, we know that some things have to be stopped or modified but we can't do anything because of
Our restricted powers.
There are very limited actions that a caretaker government can take without legal authority. The current situation where my ministerial powers are severely restricted makes it nearly impossible to launch any serious measures or initiatives. The budget work has been completed
2022 has been around for a long time, but it can only be submitted by a government with full powers. In addition, our reform efforts are stalled due to the uncertainty about the future direction and the priorities of the next government, and we can say that the current situation is unreasonable and unacceptable.
, and I can say that the current situation is unexplained and asked
I believe that I have served faithfully and to the best of my abilities during the past few years, although I did not always agree with the decisions of the government, and I made my position clear on many occasions and in cabinet meetings in private and publicly. There was a difference of opinion, and I appreciate your willingness to discuss these differences seriously and openly. However, in a few cases, it was so important to me that I had to resign. These were not superficial positions, but issues of principle. However, I appreciate your help and support. On many occasions, I have been subjected to constant pressure and attack more than once, and you have stood by me during these many crises, and I greatly appreciate these positions.
Smoothly, I went to the Ministry of Finance on May 5, 2020 after the House of Representatives approved my candidacy, in a procedure or was it easy, as the voting was not smooth and many parties voted Indian, and I still do not know why these parties took this position on my candidacy because I only had Little political participation since 2009. It was Sadr's vote that made my candidacy viable, but as I indicated earlier, I had no contact with them on this matter.
The last time I entered the Ministry of Finance was in 2006, when I was working as ISNA Minister of Finance under the transitional government of Dr. Ibrahim Al-Jaafari, and in the next few weeks of my Majidi to the Ministry for the second time, I learned about the horrific burnout about how much the government machinery had deteriorated in the fifteen years The past of God then the seizure of large joints of the state was done by political parties and special interest groups, and the ministry itself was rudderless for more than a decade, and one of its ministers had accepted because of allegations of harboring terrorists, after that, the ministry was run by acting ministers in charge of Other ministries, and they had little understanding of finances, and therefore could not provide the country's fiscal policy framework, and during the war against ISIS terrorist casualties, that finance minister was removed from his post by parliamentary questioning, and a new finance minister was appointed only after the government of Mr. Adel Abdul Mahdi in power in October 2018. My predecessor, Dr. Fouad Hussein, who was highly respected and appreciated by my family, held the position of Minister of Finance, however, his term was cut short by the October 2019 demonstrations and the government resigned shortly thereafter.
The Ministry of Finance I headed was a ghost compared to what it used to be. Managers held their key positions only for short periods, and many fell under the influence of political parties. Not all general managers were suited or qualified for the jobs for which they were responsible. The number of senior staff I was familiar with in 2006 was drastically reduced, through retirements, layoffs, resignations, and even murder. Standards have fallen to a very low level. The Ministry of Finance was full of people
With this legacy I had to design a path forward.
The six axes through which I tried to develop the ministry's work strategy were:
The first is the management of the immediate financial crisis due to the collapse of oil revenues and the loss of all our cash, as there were days when it was carried out Finance Ministry funds literally.
The second is to address the expectations of government departments, parliamentarians and the public. They were often in denial about the gravity of the financial crisis and expected the same amount of support and privileges from public resources. The pressure to get money from all sides came with
Increasing persistence and intensity.
The third is working on the 2020 budget and preparing for the 2021 budget. The 2020 budget has been a parliamentary requirement even though there are only a few months left in FY20.
The fourth is to work on a medium-term plan to reform public administration and the economy.
Fifth was managing the Ministry of Finance itself and maximizing the limited human resources that we had.
Finally, the issue of long-term restructuring and repositioning of the Iraqi economy in light of the multiple major challenges that are facing face it.
All of this had to happen in an environment of constant political pressure from parties and parliamentarians, street demonstrations, hostile social media trolls and constant media misrepresentation, fake news and allegations, constant demands for funds by ministries, and revelations of widespread fraud and scandals. and emergency funding demands. In addition, I had to face funding requests from the Kurdistan Regional Government that were questioned. I have been summoned to appear before the House of Representatives in two full sessions, and several times before the House Finance Committee and other committees. Signatures were collected by members of the House of Representatives to exclude me and threaten to take legal action against me, and I have already started in two cases
She refused to respond to a summons request from a political leader.
It was a stressful and sad process in every sense of the word, yet the ministry achieved many tasks during this period, the most important of which are listed below:
- We were able to prevent the collapse of the state's finances through strict spending discipline. We maintained investment levels under severe financial constraints.
We funded all the needs of the Ministry of Health during the pandemic. - We proposed laws expanding our ability to borrow locally, which were necessary to maintain the country's solvency.
- We presented the 2020 budget as promised, despite its withdrawal at the request of the House of Representatives. We put the final touches on an expansionary budget for 2021, which was approved by the House of Representatives.
- We financed the elections by passing a special law on financing the elections, proposed by us. - We have funded the electricity sector and students of understanding more money to meet its investment obligations and purchase fuel. - We proposed a comprehensive plan to reform the economy and the public sector, and this was met with broad international and domestic support and was called the White Paper.
Unit to oversee implementation of the white paper We advocated devaluation, which was perhaps the single most important economic measure taken by the government in this period. It was a major decision
And much postponed, and was taken boldly and with the support of the majority of the parliamentary blocs, because it was so necessary. The expensive currency destroyed the competitiveness of the economy and contributed to the distortions that allowed huge commercial profits to be made by a handful of speculators. - We strongly advocated increasing allocations to the poor and needy in the 2021 budget to offset any potential loss of income as a result of currency devaluation. Unfortunately, this was omitted by the House of Representatives in the final budget version for 2021. - We introduced the first publicly marketed local bond issuance with good returns to encourage the flow of savings to new investment vehicles and start a process
Establishment of markets for government securities.
- We completed the necessary preparations for the 2022 budget, and it was not presented to the government for discussion and approval due to the ruling of the Federal Supreme Court that we are not authorized to present any law as a caretaker government. - We introduced the Food Security Law to allow more transfers to the poor and needy as a result of the global rise in prices due to the Russian-Ukrainian war in the absence of a budget for 2022, and this law gave the government an additional deadline to fulfill its financing obligations
current and investment expenditures.
We proposed the creation of a completely new framework for identifying, evaluating and developing major infrastructure works and projects of a strategic nature. It was recently approved by the Council of Ministers and will allow the government, through the Ministries of Planning and Finance, to appoint an internationally recognized project management company to oversee the selection process for large and strategic projects.
Within the Ministry of Finance, it has launched a number of new programs and initiatives to address weaknesses that have multiplied over the years.
In cooperation with - we began a comprehensive plan to automate the financial management of the entire state. This has been the IFMIS program that has been postponed since 2005. It is being implemented by the World Bank, which will revolutionize public financial management. - We launched the full automation of the Customs Authority by signing an agreement with UNCTAD to deploy the globally recognized ASYCUDA management system
customs. - We completed the Request for Final Proposals for a new tax system reform system for the Tax Authority with the help of the World Bank.
Government banks can be reformed by keeping the current internal systems. - We established a supervisory body to manage the troubled Agricultural Bank in cooperation with the Central Bank. We have accelerated the sale of state land at market prices where desirable and feasible, with significant increases in revenue from sale
Land, and we have increased land for industrial projects significantly. We have organized a new strategic framework for the Free Zones Authority and will propose a new law for the Free Zones Authority. - We agreed with the French Development Agency to support the establishment of an institute to train middle and senior government financial and economic cadres on the best international practices in financial and economic management. This will be run through the Development Department at the Ministry of Finance. We agreed with the European Union and the German Development Agency to support the implementation team of the recommendations of the White Paper and the Ministry of Finance with expertise
Rich foreign in the field of public financial management. - We offer a program to send 100 promising young candidates in the Ministry of Finance to cover postgraduate courses in management, finance, banking and public administration at international universities.
Here, I would like to point out that our relations with the Central Bank were excellent, which allowed us to coordinate with them in the monetary and financial policies of the government.
Internationally, our economic relationship with international development agencies, G7 countries, China and the GCC countries is excellent. The Iraqi-Saudi Joint Committee, which I chair from the Iraqi side, has been activated with a number of projects and initiatives. We have also managed the difficult issues associated with making payments owed to Iran while maintaining our cooperation
And our compliance with US sanctions on this country.
I have made it my own approach to fight corruption whenever and wherever I can. In our first few weeks in office, we stopped several suspicious projects and carefully examined all requests for tax and customs exemptions. It personally followed up on approval requests for projects that passed all the scrutiny, but were unnecessarily blocked or delayed. It was the Ministry, by direct orders from me personally, that prevented the contract of Ishtar Gate payments with Rafidain Bank that would have imposed an unjustified cost burden of up to Manat.
Millions of dollars for many years on depositors in the bank.
and the government as a whole.
The question that arises here; Can the Ministry of Finance or the government as a whole achieve more achievements during the past two and a half years? It is easy to ask for a better performance than any government, but I think that in the area of economic and financial management, the government has done exceptionally well. We have achieved a lot and made some very important, even crucial, decisions that will affect the long-term course of the country's economy.
However, it is very difficult to make major economic changes and reforms on a continuous and sustainable basis given the context of our political economy. I must admit that I did not anticipate the appalling deterioration in the standards of governance in our country over the past fifteen years
and material of the country.
The electronic payment corruption cases for me were the straw that broke the camel's back. It was not a rare case, but it clearly reflected to all parties the extent of the system's imbalance. It crystallized the degree to which the state's status deteriorated and became a puppet for private interests. The matter is now with the judiciary and its investigations after the ministry has made its observations, so I cannot comment on it, but it does raise a whole host of questions about how to make the right decisions that affect millions of people and vital state institutions without regard to the public interest. Extensive underground networks of corrupt high-ranking officials, businessmen, politicians, and state employees work in the shadows to control entire sectors of the economy, withdrawing billions of dollars from the public coffers. These networks are protected by major political parties, parliamentary immunity, the arming of the law and even foreign powers. It maintains the silence of honest officials because of fear and the threat of force. This massive octopus of corruption and deception has reached every sector of the state's economy and institutions and must be dismantled at any cost if this country is to survive. Here, I hope that the investigative judges in the Ishtar Gate case will follow the threads wherever they go to be a good gesture to restore confidence in the system.
Prime Minister,
It makes no sense to talk about "corruption" as an abbreviation for the problems of the economy, as it is the end result of the process and not its beginning. It can be described as cancer that can kill the body, but it has spread due to the weakness of the body, weak immune system, lack of prevention, and neglect of curative measures. Corruption thrives in Iraq because the system tolerates it and allows it to thrive. It is not enough to tackle corruption through Increase speech against him, establish more investigative bodies and introduce more punitive measures.
We must rebuild the state's capacity to prevent the spread of corrupt practices. We have to radically reform the administration of the state by reducing traditional procedures, laws and practices. We have to radically develop the qualities and skills of middle and advanced managers in the country. We need to remove the protection that political parties and their leaders give corrupt individuals and corrupt practices. We must destroy the culture of greed, lethargy and impunity that allows corrupt practices to flourish. We need to demystify many government decisions about expenditures and investments, as corruption thrives as a result of regulated deals
Service in all. First of all, we have to undo the double-wall system that allows corruption, meaning that there are double prices for the same product or for parts of the economy. There are market prices, then there are prices set by administrative orders or a ministerial committee that have nothing to do with market prices. This affects the land markets, housing, fuel markets, basic foodstuffs, agricultural and industrial inputs, credit markets, foreign exchange, pharmaceuticals and medical services, power generation and electricity distribution, tariffs, etc. It has been wrongly said that this system helps subsidize the poor, but it is in fact very costly and encourages corruption wherever there are double prices. There are better and more effective ways to help the poor without these massive distortions that destroy the functioning of markets.
Throughout my tenure in this government, I have been guided by three fundamental factors: the duties and responsibilities of my position; My desire is to see this government succeed. Loyalty to colleagues in the Cabinet.
Page 7
- The first rule of assessment concerns whether the government has succeeded in preserving the unity of the homeland and citizens and protecting the people from internal and external threats.
The second rule: Were the explicit promises made by the government at its formation fulfilled? This was related to the holding of elections in
Acceptable time frame and defuse tensions exacerbated by large-scale protests
The third rule relates to managing the shocks that the state has experienced during your tenure as Prime Minister. These twin crises, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the collapse in oil prices and government revenue — all of these huge challenges culminated in the first months of this government.
- The last factor relates to whether the government has succeeded in achieving the objectives of its government program, especially broad political and administrative reform, anti-corruption agendas and economic restructuring.
These rules apply to the period of any normal government, but this government was exceptional, which came to power as a result of a state crisis with the collapse of the previous government. This government was a government with powers, but its main political goal in bringing it to power was to hold elections. Since October 2021, and since then this government has been operating with significantly reduced powers as a caretaker government.
However, in my personal opinion, the preliminary results of this government's performance can be summarized as follows:
- The government has improved the security and livelihood of the people, despite all the setbacks, the situation in science is much better now than it was when the government came to power in May 2020.
- The government's containment of the political file in the country. Despite recent large-scale demonstrations, violent incidents in the streets
Not negligible compared to the October 2019 demonstrations.
- The government has improved the security and livelihood of the people, despite all the setbacks, the general situation is now much better than it was
When the government came to power in May 2020.
- Government containment of political violence in the country. Despite recent large-scale demonstrations, violent incidents in the streets
Not negligible compared to the October 2019 demonstrations.
- The government held free and fair elections with the agreement of all independent observers within the promised timeframe. An important promise has been fulfilled.
The government effectively managed the twin crises of the COVID-19 pandemic and the collapse of oil revenues. Comprehensive control of public expenditures, timely, necessary and effective currency devaluation, successful 2021 budget, and food security law are steps that put public finances on a par. The white paper served as a detailed roadmap for reform and restructuring, garnering broad local and international recognition and support, as well as containing the damage from COVID-19 during a massive vaccination campaign.
Page 8
The government has implemented a mostly successful foreign policy. Iraq's foreign relations, although tensions flared up from time to time, were balanced and proceeded in the greater interest of the country. Initiatives such as the Baghdad Conference have been launched that have great long-term development potential. It has been instrumental in bringing our Saudi and Iranian friends and neighbors to a neutral forum in Baghdad where they can discuss their issues and problems. But this government has not been able to reduce or eliminate foreign interference in the country's domestic politics.
- The government succeeded in developing a bold strategy for economic and administrative reform. However, the strategy has not yet achieved the desired effect in halting the decline in administrative capabilities and public sector effectiveness, or in fundamentally changing the country's economic axes.
- But the government did not succeed in controlling corruption and then reducing it. Corruption is a multi-headed beast and in the past twenty years it has dug deep roots in the country. It cannot be controlled, let alone uprooted, if there is no political will and consensus to do so. Corruption remains rampant, debilitating and widespread.
I think the government has accomplished a lot, and given the time and space it could have done so much more. The white paper laid out a detailed roadmap for public sector reform. I was hoping to set out a vision for reform and restructuring and help create institutions to oversee the process. And I knew that the process was beyond the term of this government. It took four or five years to implement the vision of the White Paper and to see the desired results. However, government plans and programs have always been constrained by the need to
Gaining broad agreement from a fractured political class has proven difficult and elusive. I hope that the country's political leaders realize the gravity of the issues facing us and push for a solution that ends this debilitating impasse.
All calls for reform have been hampered by the political framework of this country. The parliamentary system introduced in 2005 has been distorted in order to serve special interest groups and undermine the state and its institutions. It has allowed the takeover of the state by narrow interest groups. There is no doubt that reforming this system with constitutional changes or even a new constitution is necessary. And unlike humans, nations do not die permanently. Zombie countries can remain for years or even decades before they are buried. I think that the Iraqi state that was born after the 2003 invasion shows signs of an incurable disease. It is true that the mechanism of government continues, and manifestations of state power remain, but there is no substance to the form. The central authorities of the state face challenges at all levels. Where the state does not control its borders, its sovereignty is constantly violated, terrorists who target our neighbors use our lands as a haven, our security forces are institutionally divided, and our parliament is currently broken. Our constitution is often impractical and is regularly neglected and our political system generates stagnation and obstruction. Account and punishment do not include the great leaders, and the state's resources are ineffectively exploited, wasted, misused, or stolen, and no one is held accountable for the disasters that befell this country. Foreign powers directly influence vital institutions and are behind the appointment of key figures in government, and the end result is the fractured country in which we see ourselves.
It must be a state informs . With a population of 40 million people, with a range of difficult issues we are facing, a government has the powers to be able to implement the necessary plans and measures with the appropriate legal authority. It is a clear indication of a defect in
and its procedures despite a lot of observations. I say this to confirm that the opposition outside the parliament is now a force that must be taken into account politically and its opinion and viewpoints should be taken into account in forming the new government.
In fact, I now believe that state institutions, even in their weak state, lose their credibility and authority with the withdrawal of the Sadrist movement from the parliament. Any new government formed under the current regime lacks complete legitimacy in my opinion unless the opposition outside the House of Representatives recognizes it, if not necessarily approved by it, as a government with powers. The fact of the matter is that there is now a widening gap between the political class and the public as a whole. The citizens of this country are increasingly disconnected from the political process, the political class, the state in its current state, and even the very idea of democracy as it is practiced in our country. We don't have much time to reverse this very dangerous situation. The political impasse has now reached very dangerous levels. The demand for reform of the political process has become irresistible. But because the channels for bringing about change within the system were almost completely blocked, the only recourse was civil disobedience. This is not unusual in democratic countries where the formal channels for bringing about change are controlled by forces of resistance to change. Usually a crisis or shift in public opinion shifts the accounts in favor of change. This did not happen in Iraq. The more people alienate the system and express their disapproval by not participating in elections, the more likely the system will persist in favor of those who want to maintain the status quo. The forces that maintain the existing order, for whatever reason, are formidable. Arguments for working within the current political process range from constitutional formalities, appropriate legal and administrative procedures, and, frankly, self-interest. There is no external party that can resolve the dispute, and there is no, at least for the time being, willingness on the part of the honorable reference in Najaf to influence one side or the other, or against both. This could give legitimacy to abandon the current regime
And move forward towards a new system.
The outstanding issues for any new government are critical. It can only be dealt with with great political decisiveness and foresight.
For my part, I do not wish to serve in any ministerial position anymore. It is time for young people to take on the heavy mantle of government. We need new elections with a high turnout to solidify the credibility of our democratic institutions. I also think we need a fundamental review of our constitution, there is no sacred constitution. It must be changed and modified as necessary to serve the greater interest of our people. In particular, the vague clauses, uncertain powers, difficult and even impossible conditions for making adjustments, made the (there seems to be a word missing here)
It is necessary to consider the possibility of new constitutional arrangements.
I think we are facing one of the most serious challenges any country has faced in the last century. I presented my views on the critical economic and financial issues facing this country to all political leaders several months ago. It is also publicly available on the Ministry of Finance website. The Iraq crisis is multidimensional. It brings together a large number of critical issues that few countries face at such a seriousness. These issues cover the full range of political, security, governance, economic, energy, labor, social, environmental, climatic and demographic risks, in an environment of uncertainty and geopolitical turmoil. It is a crisis of the effectiveness of a state, a society, and even individuals among themselves.
Our leaders and people must realize the seriousness of the dangers we face. With the rise in oil prices, we had another opportunity to plan for a better and more fulfilling life for our people. But plans and strategies are not enough. It must be built on a solid foundation of necessary political, ethical and institutional preconditions.
We need leadership of the highest quality, that influences itself and its immediate self-interests. We need ethical behavior in the highest positions in the country to become a moral compass for society and government departments.
We need institutions with effectiveness, depth and integrity.
We need stability, cohesion and continuity in our political arrangements.
Countries facing enormous challenges need the best kind of leadership.
I hope we will have such a leader with the right team to lead the country forward and to safety.
I wish success and success to all our people who have suffered a lot and expect their leaders to be up to the task and responsibility.
Appreciation,
Ali Haider Abdul Amir Allawi
Baghdad - Tuesday, August 16, 2022.
Fouad Hussein reveals the goal of the Al-Kazemi meeting and the political forces: No decisions
Fouad Hussein, who is participating in the national meeting called by Mustafa Al-Kazemi today, representing the Kurdistan Democratic Party, announced that the meeting will not witness any decision being taken.
Hussein said in an interview followed by / Mawazine News / that "the meeting aims to bring about a rapprochement between the political parties, and to discuss the initiatives that were put forward to solve the political crisis in Iraq."
He added, "He will not witness any decision being taken."
Al-Sadr's Minister directs a series of questions to the coordination framework - urgent
The Minister of the leader of the Sadrist movement, Salih Muhammad Al-Iraqi, directed today, Wednesday, a package of questions for the coordination framework.
He continued, "They say that the current reform phenomena are unconstitutional, and we say did the constitution guarantee peaceful demonstrations?!"
They say: The current reform demonstrations are unconstitutional. We say: Didn't the constitution guarantee peaceful demonstrations?! They say: It is unconstitutional because it suspended Parliament, one of the most important edifices of legislation in the country.
we say:
First: Did he not disrupt (one third of you) and your boycott of some parliament sessions?
Parliament work?
Second: The current demonstrations are against a (broken parliament) that cannot enact service laws and has not fulfilled its oath to serve its people and did not observe the deadlines.
Even if the current demonstrations did not exist in front of the House of Representatives, was the framework able to form a government with the intensification of framework differences with all the other blocs as a whole, without exception, even some independents without
exploiters? And if he could, would he obey the authority by not returning the old, tried and unsuccessful faces for nearly 20 years!?!? Or will you agree with those we previously called the Emiratis and the Emiratis?
And the Americans and the British?! They say: Their demonstrations are in support of the state, so they are constitutional.. As for the reform demonstrations, they are against the state, parliament and the judiciary. They are not constitutional. We say: You are against the current prime ministership, and perhaps it is against the President of the Republic accordingly
As their terms have expired..and you were against Parliament because you did not
me and the chest." Al-Fateh"
ut a "single solution" to the
Reform is against the state, parliament and the judiciary. It is not constitutional. We say: You are against the current prime ministership, and perhaps against the President of the Republic, according to the fact that their terms have expired.. You were against Parliament because you only got a few chairs and claimed forgery. Which country do you support?!! .
1.5k
-Sadr
Talabani arrives in Baghdad to attend the leaders' meeting at the invitation of Al-Kazemi
Al-Kazemi had "called the leaders of the national political forces to a national meeting at the Government Palace {today} Wednesday; to start a serious national dialogue and joint thinking, in order to find solutions to the current political crisis, and the current closures within the scope of the constitution and on the grounds of the supreme national interest, and in a manner that contributes to calming The current escalation, and the creation of an appropriate environment for political and constitutional solutions, in order to achieve the aspirations of the Iraqi people.
In the absence of the Sadrists... Al-Kazemi's meeting with political forces begins to discuss a solution to the Iraq crisis
In the absence of the Sadrists... Al-Kazemi's meeting with political forces begins to discuss a solution to the Iraq crisis
began at the Government Palace, the meeting of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi and leaders of political blocs to discuss the political crisis in Iraq.
A government source said in an interview with "Mawazine News" that "the meeting was held in the presence of the representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Jenin Plasschaert, representatives of the Kurdish forces and leaders of the framework, Nuri al-Maliki, Ammar al-Hakim and Hadi al-Amiri."
He added, "The Sadrists did not attend the meeting, during which the initiatives proposed to resolve the political crisis will be discussed."
Yesterday, Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi called on the national political forces to a national meeting in the government palace to start a serious dialogue stage and get out of the current crisis.
The Federal Court postpones the decision on the case of dissolving Parliament until the thirtieth of this month
The Federal Court (the highest judicial authority in Iraq) postponed, on Wednesday, the date for deciding on the claim of dissolving Parliament until the 30th of this August.
Last Wednesday (August 10, 2022), al-Sadr had asked the judicial authorities to dissolve the Iraqi parliament within a maximum period of the end of this week, urging at the same time the President of the Republic of Iraq, Barham Salih, to set a date for early legislative elections in the country.
The political scene in Iraq has been going through a dangerous turn since supporters of the Sadrist movement led by prominent Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr stormed the parliament building in the fortified Green Zone in central Baghdad, and staged a sit-in in protest against Al-Sudani’s nomination for the position of Prime Minister of the next federal government, at first, before the ceiling rose Their demands are to dissolve parliament and hold early elections, after an invitation from their leader al-Sadr.
The Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kazemi, had called on the leaders of the political forces for a national meeting at the Government Palace, scheduled to be held today, to start a "serious" dialogue, while calling on all parties to "stop the popular and media escalation.
Sulaymaniyah hosts the Iraq Boxing Championship in preparation for the Asian competition
The director of al-Sadr's office in Najaf, a leader in the Sadrist movement, Halim al-Fatlawi, accused on Wednesday parties in the coordination framework that includes Shiite political forces of running "secret networks" that have stolen billions of dollars from the Iraqi state treasury.
Al-Fatlawi said in a post on social media today, "The ominous framework trinity is far from what they boast about the legitimacy of the state, its constitution, its institutions, and the interests of the people. Senior officials, businessmen, politicians and corrupt state employees have withdrawn billions of dollars from the public treasury."
He asked, "Doesn't this talk call the Iraqi judiciary to carry out its duties towards its homeland and steal the food of its people?"
Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi assigned Oil Minister Ihsan Abdul-Jabbar with the tasks of managing the Ministry of Finance "temporarily", after approving the resignation of Finance Minister Ali Allawi.
What has become known as Minister al-Sadr, launched a new attack on certain forces in the coordination framework, on Tuesday, amid mounting fears of armed clashes between the two Shiite poles, amid a political crisis in Iraq.
"The minister of al-Sadr," who identifies himself as "Saleh Muhammad al-Iraqi," said, "The blocs affiliated with (the framework) must rein in the (ominous framework trinity) immediately. (Sit-in vs. sit-in) or (demonstrations vs. demonstrations), if we demonstrate, we are demonstrating against the corrupt... are they corrupt?!"
Apparently, the hadith of "Al-Iraqi" refers to the framework forces that organize the sit-in opposite the Sadrist sit-in, on the threshold of the Green Zone, which are all of the State of Law, Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq, and the Wisdom Movement.
Clarification of the absence of leaders in the framework from the government palace meeting and authorizing Al-Amiri
Al-Asadi said in a tweet on Twitter: "To prevent speculation, Sheikh Hammam Hammoudi and Sheikh Qais Al-Khazali and I did not attend the national dialogue session, because we all authorized our brother, Hajj Hadi Al-Amiri, to attend as a representative of the Al-Fateh Alliance, as the head of the coalition."
He added, "We hope that the outcomes of this meeting will be as the citizen wishes to address the crisis and expedite the steps that relieve the ongoing suffering.
A lawmaker reveals the “best way” to pass the budget: He will not challenge it
Legal expert Ali Al-Tamimi explained, today, Tuesday, the legal and constitutional frameworks for approving the federal budget law, while stating that the legal conclusion of approving the budget will save the country from a suffocating economic crisis.
He added, "After holding the session, Parliament grants the current government authorization and approval to send it the budget law," noting that "the authorization is considered the source of the people, and that the people are the source of the authorities, and Parliament represents the people," noting that "this legal conclusion if it is done and the government sends it." The budget is to be passed inside the parliament, and it cannot be challenged.”
And the legal expert indicated that "voting on the federal budget law and proceeding with it will enable the Iraqi society to be saved from the stifling economic crisis it is going through.
He was the prime minister Mustafa Al-KazemiEarlier, he called on the political blocs to cooperate with the government to find a solution to the issue of the budget, warning "of the danger of its absence
The first comment by Al-Sadr's office after the meeting of the political blocs under the auspices of Al-Kazemi
Today, Wednesday, the Sadrist movement issued its first comment after the meeting of the political blocs under the auspices of Prime Minister .Mustafa Al-Kazemi The office of Martyr al-Sadr said in a statement received (Baghdad Today), that "the Sadrist movement, with all its addresses and political figures, did not participate in the political dialogue that the Prime Minister called for today, neither directly nor ".indirectly
text:
(year of change)
In the name of God
We announce that the Sadrist movement, with all its titles and political figures, did not buy
In the political dialogue called by the Prime Minister, this
Not directly or indirectly
The meeting of the political forces began, earlier today, Wednesday, at the government palace at the invitation of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi, in the presence of the President of the Supreme Judicial Council, Faiq . Zeidan, and the United Nations representative in Iraq, Jenin Plasschaert An informed source told (Baghdad Today) that "the meeting called by Al-Kazemi has now begun in the presence of the President of the Supreme Judicial Council, Faeq ." Zeidan, and the United Nations representative in Iraq, Jenin Plasschaert ".He added that "the meeting did not witness any presence of the Sadrist movement
Saleh: The continuation of the status quo in Iraq is unacceptable
link
On Wednesday, the President of the Iraqi Republic, Barham Salih, considered the continuation of the current political crisis that the country is going through as "unacceptable", stressing the need to develop a road map to overcome this crisis.
This came during his meeting at the Peace Palace in Baghdad, a group of heads and representatives of Iraqi unions and federations, where they discussed the developments of the situation in the country, according to a presidential statement.
Saleh stressed the need to rely on dialogue and convergence for a quick solution to the existing political crisis, and that the dialogue should be based on the priority of securing the rights of citizens to a free and dignified life, moving towards political reform and protecting civil peace, and setting a clear roadmap and solutions that protect the supreme national interest, reassure citizens and meet their needs.
The statement quoted the President of the Republic as saying that the continuation of the status quo is unacceptable, and failures must be overcome and the popular will and democracy respected, noting that respecting the will of the Iraqis is the basis for getting out of the crisis and overcoming the political blockage.
For the first time in months in Iraq .. $100 less than 148,000 dinars
The exchange rates of the US dollar fell against the Iraqi dinar, on Wednesday, in the main stock exchange in the capital, Baghdad, and in the Kurdistan Region, while the exchange owner attributed this to the large supply in exchange for weak demand.
Shafaq News Agency's reporter said that the Al-Kifah and Al-Harithiya Central Stock Exchange in Baghdad registered at noon today at three o'clock in the evening 147,950 Iraqi dinars, compared to 100 US dollars.
The dollar price this morning recorded 148,150 Iraqi dinars, compared to 100 dollars.
Our correspondent indicated that buying and selling prices decreased in banking shops in the local markets in Baghdad, where the selling price amounted to 148,500 Iraqi dinars per 100 US dollars, while the purchase prices amounted to 147,500 Iraqi dinars per 100 US dollars.
In Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, the dollar prices also witnessed a decrease, as the selling price reached 148000 dinars per 100 US dollars, and the purchase price reached 147,900 dinars per 100 US dollars.
The owner of Al-Maysara Exchange Company, Muhammad Al-Moussawi, said in an interview with Shafak News Agency that "the decline in dollar prices is due to the large supply that exists in the local markets in return for the lack of demand."
Al-Moussawi added that "the bank's sales rose during this period to reach more than 280 million dollars after it did not exceed 200 million dollars, which created a great offer in the markets with the wholesale market activity declining significantly in Shorja and the Jamila Industrial Area."
Al-Moussawi denied that "the resignation of the Minister of Finance has affected the decline in dollar prices," stressing that "the decline is related to supply and demand in the markets
Economic fragility..the real obstacle to structural reform in the Iraqi economy
After Iraq witnessed a significant expansion in its oil production, a rise in the value of its exports, and a surplus of public financial and external balances since 2021 until now, the decision-maker is still reluctant to take any step that would initiate urgent structural reforms in the path of growth and stability. The Food Security Law is still restricted in implementation for many reasons that we are not concerned with, which impedes the movement of re-pumping oil funds on the right track, due to the presence of many factors that obstruct any process or decision targeting these two goals, the most dangerous of which are on the performance and balance of sectors in the overall economy, The fragility of the structure of the Iraqi economy.
Fragility means the lack of diversity of sources of income in the macroeconomic sectors, as this fragility can be diagnosed in the reality of the Iraqi economy, as it is subject to several factors, among the most important at the current level, the factor of political interactions and conflicts to form the government, from which many financial problems arose, the most dangerous of which is the lack of approval of the budget cumulative factors related to the nature of the economic reality itself and the problems related to its low ability to produce and export and the formation of traditional non-oil capital accumulation , in favor of the oil sector’s control over the income generation processBecause of the inability of the business sector and the financial market to attract investments and do them as necessary since 2003 until now, because of the many problems that the two sectors suffer from, most notably the ineffectiveness of the money market to generate real economic values, and the crowding out factor of the government sector with the private sector, which led to a decrease in the latter’s ability to establish Attracting the necessary investments to promote a diversified production base that can reduce the import dollar payments that cover most of their financial sums from government spending , has caused the erosion of the country’s productive and competitive ability, and weakened an important tool of financial policy in the market economy, which is taxes , which accumulated inflation pressures and reduced The ability of politics to absorb its continuous rises, so the effectiveness The performance of economic policy fluctuates between these factors, as well as many non-economic factors related to the reality of the administration, the most dangerous of which is the rampant administrative corruption in the joints of public and private institutions for many reasons, the most important of which are the absence of law enforcement, bureaucracy, nepotism and nepotism, as well as non-economic factors that relate to the nature of society and its various institutions and behaviors Its members that work to reduce the value of the return on capital and private investment activity.
All of these factors work in concert to distort the course of achieving the general objectives of the economic policy in its comprehensive sense, and in the absence of structural reforms in the real sector, economic fragility and its many causes will remain a real obstacle to the ability of the Iraqi economy to absorb the potential for growth and stability.
Parliamentary Finance talks about the fate of the financial surplus: there is no fear for it from the corrupt
A member of the Parliamentary Finance Committee, Jamal Cougar, clarified today, Wednesday, about the fate of the financial surplus from oil .sales in the absence of a budget that determines spending for this surplus Cougar told (Baghdad Today), "There are no fears that the corrupt will seize or rob the financial surplus from the sale of oil because it goes to the state treasury, where ".the state still exists with its institutions
He added, "If these funds are in danger and exposed to looting, then this means that all state institutions are exposed to this danger and Iraq has not passed this stage ".until now Yesterday, Tuesday, the resigned Finance Minister Ali Abdul-Amir Allawi blew up a resounding surprise, in which he said: "Wide secret networks of senior officials, businessmen, politicians and corrupt state employees are working in the shadows to control entire segments of the economy and withdraw billions of ".dollars from the public treasury
This came in the context of the resignation submitted by Allawi to Prime Minister .Mustafa Al-Kazemi during the cabinet session yesterday, and the latter approved it
Democrat: The political forces are close to a solution and agreement for the return of Parliament
The head of the Kurdistan Democratic Parliamentary Bloc, Vian Sabri, announced, on Wednesday, that the political forces have achieved an important rapprochement regarding ending .the dispute, suggesting the return of parliament activity soon
Sabri said in a statement received (Baghdad today) that "the political situation in Iraq is heading ".towards calm and rapprochement, and parliament sessions will be held again soon She added, "If we want to hold early elections, we have to go back to the Iraqi constitution, and ".to agree on this file in accordance with the constitution The political forces held a meeting this afternoon, under the auspices of Prime Minister Mustafa .Al-Kazemi, to end the differences and restore Parliament again
The "leaders" meeting ends with five points and an invitation to the Sadrist movement
The meeting of the three presidencies with the leaders of the political forces, which was held in the government palace at the invitation of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi, ended with five points, in addition to a call made by the meeting to the Sadrist movement.
Al-Kazemi's office said in a statement received by Shafaq News Agency, "The presidencies met with the leaders of the Iraqi national political forces at the invitation of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi, today, Wednesday (August 17, 2022) to discuss political developments in the country, and in the presence of the representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in Iraq, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert.
The statement added that "the meeting led to a number of points, which were agreed upon by the participants, as follows:
1 The participants expressed their commitment to the national constants, and to finding a solution to all crises through dialogue and adopting a spirit of brotherhood and synergy; In order to preserve the unity of Iraq, the security and stability of its people, the continuity of the constitutional democratic system to which everyone appeals, and the emphasis on giving priority to the supreme national interests, and showing a spirit of solidarity among the people of the one nation; to address the current political crisis.
2- The conferees indicated that resorting to the polls once again through early elections is not an exceptional event in the history of democratic experiences when political crises reach dead ends, and that national political forces resort to constitutional tracks in elections.
3- The conferees called on the brothers in the Sadrist movement to engage in the national dialogue, to put in place mechanisms for a comprehensive solution to serve the aspirations of the Iraqi people and achieve their goals.
4- The participants agreed on the continuation of the national dialogue; In order to develop a legal and constitutional road map to address the current crisis.
5- The conferees called for stopping all forms of field, media, or political escalation, stressing the need to protect state institutions and return to calm discussions away from provocations and provocations that would provoke strife. They appealed to the media and elites to support the path of national dialogue and social peace, to serve the interests of our people
Parliament will return.. The coordination framework comments on the possibility of the Al-Kazemi government continuing
The leader in the coordination framework, Fahd Al-Jubouri, confirmed today, Wednesday, that the resumption of parliament sessions will be very .soon Al-Jubouri told (Baghdad Today), "The framework is seriously focused at the present time on forming the government because there is no possibility for the Al-Kazemi government to remain, because the government's workflow requires that it be full of ".powers and not a conduct of business
He added, "The location of the parliament session is not important, whether in the Green Zone or outside it," stressing that "the session for selecting the president of ".the republic will be held very soon, as well as the continuation of the sessions Various Iraqi political sources in the capital, Baghdad, revealed to (Baghdad Today), that "the Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, Muhammad al-Halbousi, is subjected to great pressure from several parties in the "Coordination Framework" alliance, with the aim of ending the suspension of parliament's work, and organizing a special session to elect a speaker.
The republic and the assignment of the “coordinating framework” .candidate, Muhammad Shia, to form the new government
Closed meeting of the Iranian parliament on the nuclear deal, the European Union praises Tehran's response
Today, Wednesday, the Iranian parliament started a closed meeting to discuss developments in the nuclear negotiations and the possibility of reaching an agreement, and diplomats said that the main obstacle is the guarantees required from Tehran to compensate it if Washington decides in the future to withdraw again.
The Iranian parliament session was attended by Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, Secretary of the National Security Council Ali Shamkhani, Head of the Atomic Energy Authority Mohammad Eslami, and Iran's chief negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani.
Parliament will discuss in its closed session the proposals presented by Iran in response to the European draft to revive the nuclear agreement.
Iran responded to the European proposal late Monday, but neither it nor the European Union provided any details about the content of the response, while a senior Iranian official revealed that his country's response is realistic and professional and includes important notes to "secure its interests", and that Tehran is waiting for a response to its comments at the end of the day. today is Wednesday.
appreciate
In a related development, the adviser to the Iranian negotiating delegation, Muhammad Marandi, told Al Jazeera that one of the goals of negotiating the nuclear agreement is to impose the price of any US withdrawal from the agreement in the future.
Marandi stressed that the goal of having a price for any US withdrawal is to fortify the agreement, and that this is in everyone's interest, as he put it.
The adviser to the Iranian delegation added that one of the aspects of raising the price is the self-nuclear guarantees and other economic, political and legal guarantees, explaining that the economic guarantee means immunizing foreign companies and protecting them from US sanctions.
On the other hand, US State Department spokesman Ned Price refused to disclose his country's position on the Iranian response, and stressed that the US position was clear, which is that these negotiations are about Iran's nuclear program and nothing more.
Price pointed out that all parties have put forward their comments regarding the EU draft, but Washington will not reveal the details of its position.
For its part, the European Union described Iran's response to its proposal to revive the nuclear deal as constructive.
Required guarantees
And the Bloomberg website quoted an informed official that the European Union is in the process of consulting with the United States about moving forward with the next step, and that Iran's response still requires study, and that the other parties to the nuclear talks, including the United States, China and Russia are still in the process of evaluating the Iranian response.
CNN quoted a regional diplomat as saying that the main issue standing in the way of reviving the nuclear agreement with Iran is the guarantees required from Tehran to compensate it. If any US administration decides in the future to withdraw again from the agreement.
The regional diplomat explained that progress has been made in converging views, especially with regard to the issue of indirect sanctions on Iranian companies operating abroad.
CNN quoted the regional diplomat as indicating that negotiations are now underway between the United States and Iran through Qatar and the European Union.
In turn, the permanent Russian representative to international organizations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, said that the proposals made by Iran in the draft return to the nuclear agreement were reasonable and serious.
Ulyanov added, in an interview with CNN, that Russia believes that the Iranian response was positive, pointing to the possibility of holding a ministerial meeting of the joint committee of the nuclear agreement if Washington provided a positive response.
Iran is ready to exchange prisoners with the United States
And their return "immediately" to the arms of their families, according to a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Iran announced, on Wednesday, its readiness for the "immediate" implementation of an agreement with the United States on the exchange of prisoners between the two countries.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said, in a press conference, that Tehran "is ready to implement an agreement that guarantees the immediate return of innocent Iranian citizens to the arms of their families," according to the local IRNA news agency.
He added, "Iran has always confirmed, through various channels, its willingness to seriously pursue the issue of prisoner exchange with the United States, separately from the nuclear negotiations."
Kanani affirmed Tehran's surprise at Washington's "negative propaganda" against it, "instead of practically engaging in the issue of exchanging Iranian prisoners detained for flimsy reasons and removing obstacles to this path."
The agency did not indicate the number of Americans arrested or detained in Iran, nor their identities, nor did it give details of the agreement between the two countries.
The year 2019 witnessed a prisoner exchange between Tehran and Washington, in which the first released a Chinese-American scientist who had been detained for 3 years on widely criticized espionage charges.
At the time, Tehran said US authorities were holding about 20 Iranians in its prisons
Baghdad and Erbil agree to move forward with negotiations and solve problems
The Council of Ministers of the Kurdistan Region held its weekly meeting, headed by the Chairman of the Council, Masrour Barzani, on 08/17/2022, and discussed a number of topics on its agenda.
The Kurdistan Regional Government statement stated that Barzani presented the results of the visit of the delegation of the Kurdistan Regional Government headed by him to Baghdad and his meeting with the Federal Prime Minister, the two heads of Parliament, and the Supreme Judicial Council.
Barzani indicated that during the meetings, the delegation reiterated the region's firm position in solving problems and reaching a fair agreement on the basis of the constitution.
The two sides agreed to proceed with negotiations between the federal ministries of oil and natural resources in the Kurdistan region in order to reach a common solution that would benefit all Iraqi citizens.
According to the statement, the Council presented an overview of the unfair lawsuit of the Federal Ministry of Oil against the Ministry of Natural Resources and international oil and gas companies operating in the Kurdistan Region, as well as the procedures of the regional government through the committee in charge of this regard.
The paragraph was presented by Chief of Cabinet Office Omid Sabah and Cabinet Secretary Amanj Rahim, as it included the constitutional principles on which the Kurdistan Region is based in defending its powers and constitutional rights, in addition to the efforts made in this regard.
The Council of Ministers renewed the position of the Kurdistan Region in continuing its efforts with the federal government in order to find a common solution within the framework of the constitution that serves everyone.
The US State Department: We do not take sides in Iraq and are ready to deal with any government that achieves its sovereignty
And the political forces in Iraq, after a meeting called by the caretaker prime minister, Mustafa Al-Kazemi, confirmed today, Wednesday, the priority of national interests and dialogue to address the political crisis.
According to the statement issued by the Prime Minister, following the meeting attended by the representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in Iraq, Jeanine Plasschaert, the participants came out with five recommendations in which they agreed on “their commitment to national constants, and finding a solution to all crises through dialogue and by adopting a spirit of brotherhood and synergy, in order to preserve the unity of Iraq.” The security and stability of its people, the permanence of the constitutional democratic system to which everyone appeals, the emphasis on the supreme national interests, and a spirit of solidarity among the people of the one nation to address the current political crisis.
According to the statement, the conferees indicated that "recourse to the polls once again through early elections is not an exceptional event in the history of democratic experiences when political crises reach dead ends, and that national political forces resort to constitutional tracks in elections."
The attendees also called on "the Sadrist movement to engage in the national dialogue, to put in place mechanisms for a comprehensive solution to serve the aspirations of the Iraqi people and achieve their goals."
They also agreed "on the continuation of the national dialogue, in order to lay down a legal and constitutional road map to address the current crisis."
The statement concluded by calling to "stop all forms of field, media, or political escalation, stressing the need to protect state institutions and return to calm discussions away from provocations and provocations that would provoke strife." Appealing to "the media and elites to support the path of national dialogue and social peace, to serve the interests" of the Iraqi people
Al-Maliki and Talabani discuss establishing a consensus on the basis of true partnership
The leader of the State of Law coalition, Nuri al-Maliki, discussed, 08/17/2022, with the President of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Bafel Talabani, the latest political developments.
Talabani's office said in a statement received by the Obelisk that the latter met with al-Maliki in Baghdad, and during their meeting they discussed the latest political developments and efforts to form a national consensus.
The meeting stressed consensus on the basis of true partnership to save Iraq from the current political situation.
According to the statement, the meeting welcomed today's initiative to bring together the various forces and parties in order to find an appropriate solution and overcome challenges.
During the meeting, Talabani stressed the PUK's keenness to reach a national agreement, declaring that the country's current situation requires that we all be one voice for stability and better governance, and that our goal is to achieve a secure life and prosperity for citizens.
Member of the Democrat: The leaders' meeting today is a step forward, and Plasschaert's participation gave him an international guarantee
Al Mandalawi said; For the “Al-Mastra” program, broadcast by Al-Furat satellite channel tonight, that: “Dialogue, no matter how difficult it is, is better than chaos, and the meeting of presidencies and leaders of national political blocs today was a step forward and better than escalation; but it needs other steps, support and a real will to hold the dialogue.”
He added, "Everyone's opinions point to dissolving parliament and holding elections, but the difference is over the procedure and reliance on legal and constitutional methods."
Al-Mandalawi pointed out that "the absence of the Sadrist movement is influential and may have given a non-positive image of the meeting, but merely holding it in the current situation is a good step, and the Democratic Party is with any dialogue that leads to defusing the crisis."
continue"
Al-Mandalawi noted, "The presence of Plasschaert in the national dialogue meeting gave an international guarantee and gave a kind of confidence that everyone demands. Therefore, the presence of the United Nations will give confidence and its role will be to supervise the elections, but this also depends on the political will to overcome fundamental differences."
And he indicated that "the Kurdistan Democratic Party represents an important link in reaching solutions to the crisis and the tendency of Iraqis to internal fighting that harms everyone, and it is with the stability and security of the country."
Al-Mandulai suggested, "Mr. Muqtada al-Sadr did not reject dialogue completely with the rest of the political parties, as evidence of the postponement of Saturday's demonstrations, and he is also keen that matters do not reach internal fighting, and therefore what he asks for change can only be through dialogue."
A new comment on the resignation of the Minister of Finance: It was a personal matter
On Wednesday, economist and academic Ahmed Al-Waeli expressed his surprise at the failure of the future Minister of Finance, Ali Allawi, to resort to the judiciary, considering that his resignation was a personal matter.
Iraq and Japan discuss strengthening bilateral cooperation in 3 sectors
The Ministry of Oil announced, on Wednesday, that Iraq and Japan are looking to enhance bilateral cooperation in 3 sectors.
A statement by the ministry, which Mawazine News received a copy of, said that Oil Minister Ihsan Abdul-Jabbar Ismail received the Japanese ambassador in Baghdad, Kotaro Suzuki, and during the meeting, they discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the oil, gas and energy sectors.
The minister stressed the importance of developing the oil industry and the optimal investment of gas through the implementation of investment projects in cooperation with sober international companies.
For his part, the Japanese ambassador expressed his country's desire to strengthen the frameworks of joint cooperation with Iraq in the fields of oil, gas and energy.
Former MP: We need an era with new thinking to manage the Iraqi state
The former member of the House of Representatives, Hoshyar Abdullah, stressed, on Wednesday, the need for an era with new thinking to manage the Iraqi state.
Abdullah said in a tweet via Twitter, which was followed by "Mawazine News", that everyone who expects political Islam to provide a different performance for managing the state in Iraq is mistaken.
Abdullah continued, that whoever believes that the reclusive nationalist ideology will present a different performance is also mistaken, and those who think that those who trade in their regions in a sectarian manner will offer something to Iraq are also mistaken.
Abdullah concluded, "We need a new era with new thinking for state administration.
The budget and food security allocations are behind the resignation of Ali Allawi
Analyzes believe that the delay in approving the 2022 budget, caused the resignation of Finance Minister Ali Allawi, without warning.
The minister's resignation was a shock to the political circles, especially since he had not previously indicated his intention to resign from the position.
The political differences left by the recent elections hindered the formation of the new government, at a time when laws prevented caretaker governments from sending legislation to Parliament for approval, which kept the fate of the budget law unknown.
And Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi said during the cabinet session that a government cannot live without a budget, two years have passed without a budget, which some considered to be proof that Allawi resigned because of the budget.
Private sources say to the Obelisk, Minister Allawi is discontented with the impact of political conflicts on the government's work and its inability to implement any financial reform because of that, as well as the lack of legislation for the country's general budget so far, despite the passage of 8 months since the beginning of the year due to political conflicts.
It did not take practical steps to implement the economic reform paper known as the White Paper because of the political rivalry.
On the other hand, the resignation comes days after the food security law was disbursed.
Ali Allawi, for his part, objected to the launch of the law's assignments, which may be the reason for his resignation from the position.
At a time when the followers of the Sadrist movement are holding a sit-in in the Green Zone, disrupting Parliament, which means that the allocations of the Food Security Law are not secured due to the absence of a parliament that is held accountable and follows up on the disbursement of allocations.
The fact that Iraq remains without a financial budget is quickly reflected in revenues, as the delay in approving the budget causes wastage of public money, and a lack of revenues due to the failure to implement the government’s financial plan represented by the budget, which will necessarily include measures to maximize financial resources and achieve maximum revenues. According to the experts.
As for the other harm, it is the expenses that are always planned according to the revenues, and since the imbalance and shortage of revenues will inevitably occur, this will have a definite reflection on the expenses, and the lack of revenues will lead to the reduction of the projects planned by the government according to the citizens’ priorities and needs.
The expert in economic affairs, Abdul Hassan Al-Shammari, says that this delay will hit the investment sector, and will contribute to the spread of unemployment among young people, and will even raise poverty indicators to higher levels.
Economist Ahmed Abu Abatin warned that this delay will have serious repercussions, as it necessarily leads to delays in the completion of planned projects.
Twitter activist Rasha Al-Ezzo said that the delay in sending the draft budget also results in the delay in sending the final statements of the 2021 budget, which the government is supposed to send as soon as it finishes sending the 2022 draft budget to Parliament.
If you would like to send me a Cashapp gift
Exchange rate of the US dollar against the Iraqi dinar today, Wednesday, August 17, 2022, from the Iraqi markets and the stock exchange for several provinces.
Favorite Currencies Forex Quotes
| Symbol | Bid | Ask | High | Low | Open | Change | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD/IQD |  1424.8000 |  1483.8000 | 1458.1000 | 1458.0000 | 1458.0000 | -0.2000 | 12:11 |
| USD/VND | 23401.0000 | 23406.0000 | 23402.5000 | 23401.8400 | 23402.5000 | -0.7000 | 02:34 |
| USD/CNY | 6.7782 | 6.7802 | 6.7874 | 6.7685 | 6.7869 | -0.0088 | 05:30 |
| USD/KWD |  0.3064 | 0.3074 | 0.3065 | 0.3063 | 0.3065 | -0.0001 | 05:28 |
| GBP/USD | 1.2098 | 1.2098 | 1.2141 | 1.2034 | 1.2081 | 0.0013 | 05:30 |
| USD/IRR | 42100.0000 | 42500.0000 | 42332.1000 | 42315.5000 | 42332.1000 | 37.0000 | 11:28 |
| USD/IDR | 14772.0000 | 14772.0000 | 14774.0000 | 14722.0000 | 14747.0000 | 25.0000 | 05:30 |
Luxury dog hotel accused of neglecting pets...
Chinese military vessel docks in Sri Lanka over Indian, U.S. objections...
Xi Saudi trip seeks to exploit Riyadh-Washington tensions...
In the absence of the Sadrists... Al-Kazemi's meeting with political forces begins to discuss a solution to the Iraq crisis
In the absence of the Sadrists... Al-Kazemi's meeting with political forces begins to discuss a solution to the Iraq crisis
began at the Government Palace, the meeting of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi and leaders of political blocs to discuss the political crisis in Iraq.
A government source said in an interview with "Mawazine News" that "the meeting was held in the presence of the representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Jenin Plasschaert, representatives of the Kurdish forces and leaders of the framework, Nuri al-Maliki, Ammar al-Hakim and Hadi al-Amiri."
He added, "The Sadrists did not attend the meeting, during which the initiatives proposed to resolve the political crisis will be discussed."
Yesterday, Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi called on the national political forces to a national meeting in the government palace to start a serious dialogue stage and get out of the current crisis.
The Federal Court postpones the decision on the case of dissolving Parliament until the thirtieth of this month
The Federal Court (the highest judicial authority in Iraq) postponed, on Wednesday, the date for deciding on the claim of dissolving Parliament until the 30th of this August.
Last Wednesday (August 10, 2022), al-Sadr had asked the judicial authorities to dissolve the Iraqi parliament within a maximum period of the end of this week, urging at the same time the President of the Republic of Iraq, Barham Salih, to set a date for early legislative elections in the country.
The political scene in Iraq has been going through a dangerous turn since supporters of the Sadrist movement led by prominent Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr stormed the parliament building in the fortified Green Zone in central Baghdad, and staged a sit-in in protest against Al-Sudani’s nomination for the position of Prime Minister of the next federal government, at first, before the ceiling rose Their demands are to dissolve parliament and hold early elections, after an invitation from their leader al-Sadr.
The Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kazemi, had called on the leaders of the political forces for a national meeting at the Government Palace, scheduled to be held today, to start a "serious" dialogue, while calling on all parties to "stop the popular and media escalation.
Fouad Hussein reveals the goal of the Al-Kazemi meeting and the political forces: No decisions
Fouad Hussein, who is participating in the national meeting called by Mustafa Al-Kazemi today, representing the Kurdistan Democratic Party, announced that the meeting will not witness any decision being taken.
Hussein said in an interview followed by / Mawazine News / that "the meeting aims to bring about a rapprochement between the political parties, and to discuss the initiatives that were put forward to solve the political crisis in Iraq."
He added, "He will not witness any decision being taken."
CBI Update: Just a note:
No comments:
Post a Comment