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Parliamentary Finance talks about attempts to withdraw the Iraqi dinar from the local markets
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The Parliamentary Finance Committee said, "The new budget is the largest in the Arab world after Saudi Arabia, while the currency selling window was accused of" currency smuggling "according to a systematic work.
A member of the committee, MP Muhammad al-Darraji, said in a statement carried by the official agency, followed by "People" Thursday (December 31, 2020), that "the 2021 budget amounts to 164 trillion dinars, in which oil is set at $ 42 a barrel," indicating that "salaries expenses in the budget It amounts to 53.8 trillion dinars. "
He added, "The debts payable in the budget are estimated at more than 16 trillion dinars, pointing out that operational expenses amount to about 50 trillion dinars."
He pointed out that "the budget deficit amounts to 71 trillion dinars," stressing that "the ration card allocations in the budget amount to 4 trillion dinars."
He explained, "The budget is devoid of job grades," noting that "the 2021 budget does not differ from its predecessors except in numbers, as it is the second largest budget in the Arab world after Saudi Arabia."
On raising the dollar exchange rate, Al-Darraji said, "Parliament is not responsible for raising the exchange rate of the dollar against the dinar," pointing out that "the window for selling the currency was a systematic process of currency smuggling."
He revealed "there are attempts to withdraw the Iraqi dinar from the local markets and put large quantities of the (green) dollar into the market," indicating that "these quantities come from the Kurdistan region."
He called on the government and security agencies to scrutinize the sales of hard currency and find out where the source of this dollar comes, stressing that "the sums of sale of the region's oil enter Baghdad illegally to take advantage of the currency difference."
On the occasion of the New Year ... the stock exchange stopped its activities for one day
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The Iraq Stock Exchange announced today, Thursday, that its activities have stopped for one day on the occasion of New Year's Day.
The market said in a statement received by Al Furat News, that "based on the decision of the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers considering Sunday as an official holiday on the occasion of the New Year, it was decided not to organize the trading session for that day."
The statement added, "The sessions will be organized as of Monday, the fourth of January, according to their official timing."
It is noteworthy that the Iraq Stock Exchange has used electronic trading and central depository systems since 2009 and seeks to launch the Internet trading system for investors, and organizes five trading sessions per week from Sunday to Thursday, and 105 Iraqi joint stock companies are included in it representing the sectors of banking, communications, industry, agriculture, insurance, financial investment and tourism And hotels
Parliament announces the start of the first reading of the budget
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The parliamentary finance committee announced Thursday that the 2021 draft budget bill will be distributed to members of the House of Representatives, noting that parliament will read the first reading of the budget next week.
"After the legislative recess is cancelled, parliament will resume its regular sessions next week to read a number of laws, most notably the general budget law," committee member Jamal Cougar told Twilight News.
"The draft law reached the parliamentary finance committee and was distributed to members of parliament," he said, adding that "a number of observations were recorded on the articles and paragraphs of the budget and will be discussed after the resumption of the sessions."
First Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Hassan Karim al-Kaabi announced on Tuesday that the budget had reached the council for review.
The Kurdistan government calls for the implementation of the financial agreement between Baghdad and Erbil
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On Thursday, the President of the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government, Masrour Barzani, expressed his hope for the implementation of the recent agreement between Erbil and Baghdad regarding the 2021 budget .
Barzani said in a press statement, that the Kurdistan Region and the whole world have faced a difficult year in light of the outbreak of the Corona epidemic and its difficult economic consequences, and the federal government’s refusal to send financial dues to the Kurdistan Region, which created a financial crisis and a difficult situation that, in turn, formed a heavy financial burden on our dear citizens in the Kurdistan Region. .
He added, "We have reached an agreement with the federal government regarding the draft federal budget for the year 2021, we hope that the agreement will be implemented in full, and we ask the political parties in Iraq, and from now on, not to accept the use of Kurdistan Region’s dues and rights as a political pressure card against the people of Kurdistan who do not." His rights are still being denied, affirming at the same time that we will never compromise our constitutional rights .
Iraq faces 71 trillion dinar budget deficit in 2021: parliamentary finance committee member
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A member of Iraqi parliament’s finance committee has told state media that the country’s budget deficit for 2021 stands at 71 trillion dinars (approximately $49 billion), according to a bill set to be read by parliament next month.
Muhammad Saheb Al-Daraji told state media on Wednesday that the budget, approved by Iraq’s Council of Ministers on December 21, stands at 164 trillion dinars (approx. $113 billion), and the price of oil is set at $42 per barrel, according to the bill.
“The deficit in the budget reaches 71 trillion dinars,” Al-Daraji added, saying Iraq will also be steeped in 16 trillion dinars, or $11 billion, worth of debt from previous loans.
Deputy parliament speaker Basheer Haddad said that the parliament will conduct their first reading of the bill at the “beginning of January,” state media reported on Tuesday.
Iraq has plunged deeper into an economic crisis amid low oil prices, the main source of revenue for Baghdad. Economic woes were a key factor pushing people to the streets in widespread protests that began in October 2019, with youth calling for better services and an end to mass unemployment, but the economy has continued to weaken amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In October, the World Food Programme warned that 10 percent of Iraqis are going hungry.
Iraq’s central bank announced on December 19 that it would be devaluing the country’s currency in an effort to combat a national liquidity crisis and bring in much-needed cash to the government’s coffers.
The devaluation of the Iraqi dinar is a step taken towards reform and creating a “financial balance” and will revive the economy, said Iraq’s Minister of Finance.
“There are attempts at removing the Iraqi dinar from the market and adding huge amounts of [older] dollars into the market,” Daraji added. “These huge amounts come from the Kurdistan Region.”
According to the committee member, 53.8 trillion dinars (around $37 billion dollars) of the budget has been set aside for civil servant salaries – a thorny issue between Baghdad and Erbil this year.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Erbil, reliant on Baghdad to pay its civil servants, has not paid its employees for most of this year amid budget disputes with Baghdad. The federal government has had to take out loans from its central bank to pay the salaries of its civil servants for the last three months of 2020.
Tensions rose between the two governments after Kurdish MPs in Baghdad walked out over a parliamentary session on the fiscal deficit coverage bill, angered over a clause obliging Erbil to hand over an unspecified amount of oil in exchange for funds- a clause they say was not in the original bill.
Frustrated civil servants took to the streets across the provinces of Sulaimani, Halabja and the Garmiyan administration to protest their unpaid salaries earlier this month. 11 people were killed.
Protests have also recently taken place in Basra over unpaid salaries.
High-level civil servants will receive a pay cut next year, Iraq’s labour minister announced in a Tuesday press conference.
"The three presidencies will receive a 40 percent cut in their salaries, and all MPs and ministers will receive a 30 percent cut," Adel al-Rikabi said.
"The budget bill does not affect the salaries of employees that make up the majority of Iraqi people," added Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi. "The targets of this bill are people in higher positions."
In the document: The Security Council cancels the sanctions imposed on an Iraqi government bank 17 years ago
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The Committee for Freezing Terrorist Funds of the Central Bank of Iraq announced the issuance of a Security Council / International Sanctions Committee decision to remove its sanctions against Rafidain Bank, which were issued during the era of the previous regime in 2003.
Full details in the document shown inside the news.
this is the document translated
Decision of the Committee on Freezing Terrorist Funds No. (45) for the year 2020 based on what was approved by the Sanctions Committee formed under Security Council Resolution (2009), the provisions of the Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Law (39 for the year 2010), and the Terrorist Funds Freezing Regulation (: for 2016) And in accordance with the powers vested in the committee, the Terrorist Funds Freeze Committee decided to generalize the deletion on the consolidated list that came from the International Sanctions Committee regarding Iraq according to the following:
First: Deleting an entity (Rafidain Bank) from the sanctions list imposed pursuant to Security Council Resolution (149 of 2009), according to For the provisions of Chapter Seven of the United Nations Charter:
Second: This decision shall be implemented from the date of its issuance.
Third: To circulate this decision to ministries and agencies not associated with a ministry, all governorates, financial institutions, and relevant departments, for the purpose of taking appropriate measures regarding the aforementioned entity. Departments of Good Loan Article Internet B
Fourth: This decision shall be published immediately in the Official Gazette and the website of the Office of Combating Money Laundering and Financing Terror.
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ARTICLE 1-A (from PM Kadhimi's website; posted only on Arabic side, not on English side)
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Mr. Mustafa Al-Kazemi chairs a meeting of the Ministerial Council for National Security
Today, Wednesday, the Prime Minister and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Mr. Mustafa Al-Kazemi, chaired a meeting of the Ministerial Council for National Security, during which security developments in the country were discussed, in addition to discussing the files listed on its agenda.
At the outset of the meeting, Mr. Al-Kazemi stressed the challenges facing the country, including the security challenge, noting the importance of working to coordinate security efforts in order to enhance security and stability in the various regions of the country.
The importance of preparing a study on the reform department file, and working to continue training for workers in reform departments, with the aim of devoting the culture of human rights and preserving the dignity of the Iraqi citizen wherever he is, was also discussed in the discussion of the importance of preparing a study on the file of the Correctional Department, and providing adequate protection for them.
The meeting also discussed what was achieved from the decisions of the previous meeting and discussed the issues on the agenda, in the interest of the public interest and Iraq's security policy.
Media Office of the Prime Minister
30-Dec-2020
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ARTICLE 1-B (from PM Kadhimi's website; posted only on Arabic side, not on English side)
The Prime Minister, Mr. Mustafa Al-Kazemi during his speech at the annual conference of the Joint Operations Command
I salute you, brothers ... and through you I salute all the officers and ranks in all our military and security institutions, army, police, federal police, intelligence, counter-terrorism, national security, popular mobilization and peshmerga.
🔵 You are the symbol of Iraq ... your achievements in 2020 are great and proud for us .. it is the year for the complete elimination of ISIS, closing all its growth niches, blocking the way to its malicious attempts, and the year 2021, with God's help, will be better at the security level.
🔵 I invite the ministers and state institutions to cooperate with the Joint Operations Command, as it is the main home for the security forces, to unify and coordinate the efforts of the units and to benefit from their capabilities, to achieve victory over terrorism and restore the prestige of the state.
We have to unify our intelligence efforts to create the required integration in our security work.
🔵 I invite you to pay attention to the psychological building of fighters and associates .. loyalty to the state .. loyalty to the state .. we must teach all the new security generations that Iraq is precious.
🔵 Border control is the gateway to security and stability.
🔵 The security situations must be raised to the references as they are and not to hide any information on the higher headquarters, in order for the treatment and guidance to be given in light of the accident and not an attempt to reduce the accident.
🔵 2020 is the year for leaders and managers to be evaluated based on their work.
🔵 We must move away from the intersections between the security forces and leave personal matters, and focus on the goals set for them by the Joint Operations Command.
🔵 Training .. then training and training .. Do not leave the physical, scientific and psychological training, it is necessary to expand by preparing integrated training curricula for all officers and ranks.
🔵 Protecting our people is our supreme goal .. Put the people in your eyes.
The challenges are not over yet, we still have a lot to do, and there are still loose weapons, crime gangs, drug trafficking, weapons, and clan conflicts outside the law, and we must all show solidarity to confront and deter them.
We have a duty to protect the elections, and everyone must work from now to provide a safe environment for holding the elections in 2021.
🔵 We must not break any security institution, as the violations that occur are violations of individuals and occur in all devices.
🔵 All the breakdowns of armies in the world were due to intersections and they should be avoided.
🔵 The year 2021 should be the year of the institutions belonging to the state and believing in it, and this new approach we are currently working on.
The spirit of trust and complementarity is the title of the security and military institutions, and it is very important that your relations be complementary.
Media Office of the Prime Minister
30-Dec-2020
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ARTICLE 2-A (from Government of Iraq twitter account)
Cabinet discusses health developments, approves several projects
The Cabinet held its weekly meeting on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi.
The Minister of Health presented a detailed report to the Cabinet on the latest developments in relation to the Coronavirus pandemic and the official measures to protect public health.
The Cabinet discussed other items on its agenda, and agreed to authorise the Ministry of Transport to conclude a new contract with a Dutch company to build two ships instead of eight, to add to Iraq’s merchant maritime fleet at the cost of 31,750,000 US dollars per ship.
The Cabinet approved a recommendation from the Ministerial Council for Social Service to authorise Babylon Governorate to proceed with contracting a consortium of companies to carry out the next stages of the Hilla Sewage Project
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ARTICLE 2-B (from Government of Iraq twitter account)
12-30-2020 around 9:30 am Eastern Watch: Highlights of the weekly press conference by the Cabinet Spokesperson, the Minister of Culture *************
ARTICLE 3
A government spokesperson reassures employees about salaries for the first months of 2021
12/29/2020 14:36
[Baghdad-Where]
Cabinet spokesman Hassan Nazim settled, on Tuesday, the controversy over linking employees’ salaries to the legislation of the general budget law for next year, while revealing the most prominent files that the sending delegation discussed with the Iranian side.
Nazem said, according to the official agency, that "the salaries of employees for the first months of next year will proceed normally according to the" one on 12 "plan, as approved in the year 2020 until next year's budget legislation, which needs time after it is subject to discussion in the House of Representatives.
He pointed out that “changing the exchange rate came within the reform plan in the white paper,” indicating that there is a comprehensive plan for financial and economic reform. '
The application of the exchange rate in the next year’s budget would revive investment opportunities for the private sector in the long run and provide Job opportunities for the unemployed. ”
On the other hand, a spokesman for the Council of Ministers indicated that “The delegation sent from the government to Iran discussed the security situation that the country is exposed to, as there is an uncontrolled weapon that needs not only internal negotiations and discussions, but There are regional powers present in Iraq, and therefore an understanding should be made on this issue.
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ARTICLE 4
Parliament: Major changes will take place in the 2021 budget, and we support deductions from higher and special ranks
12/30/2020 12:53 •
[Baghdad-Where]
The Parliamentary Legal Committee announced, on Wednesday, that major changes will occur to the draft budget next year.
Committee member Hassan Fadam said, according to the official agency, that "the budget for next year will be discussed within the Finance Committee in the House of Representatives, and then presented to the Council," stressing that "there are major changes that will occur. to the budget, because it affects the salaries of employees. "
He pointed out that "the means of economic development are not by deducting the salaries of employees, as there is a great waste of money and corruption in the ministries."
He explained that "Parliament supports the deduction of salaries and allocations of higher ranks from the ministers, the Council of Ministers, and the House of Representatives, but we do not support at all the deduction of salaries of employees in all state institutions."
Yesterday, Tuesday, First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Hassan Al Kaabi announced the arrival of the draft federal budget bill for 2021 to the House of Representatives
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ARTICLE 5
Al-Araji warns: We are on the verge of disaster
12/30/2020 14:25 •
[Baghdad-Where]
Former Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Bahaa Al-Araji warned, Wednesday, of a disaster in Iraq, as he revealed its cause.
Al-Araji said in a tweet to him: "A budget whose imports are based on expectations of the stability or increase of oil prices, despite the fact that important reports indicate a financial crisis that the world will face early next year."
He added, "This means that we are on the verge of a catastrophe if we do not avoid it with realistic, not political, scientific review."
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ARTICLE 6
Deputy: The Al-Kazemi government has failed to formulate the state's financial policy
12/30/2020 19:07 •
[Baghdad-Where]
MP for the Al-Fateh Alliance Abbas Al- Ati stated , on Wednesday, that the government of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi has failed to formulate the financial policy of the state.
Al-Atefi said that "the draft federal budget law for 2021 will be closely scrutinized within the House of Representatives before it is passed to ensure that citizens are not targeted," noting that "a large number of amendments will occur to the budget law to serve the citizen."
He added that "the government of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi has failed to draw up the financial policy of the state and solve the economic crisis," noting that "the government must search for solutions far from prejudice to the salaries of employees."
The Parliamentary Finance Committee confirmed, today, Wednesday, that the government will be bankrupt after six months of passing the federal budget bill for 2021.
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1437.6000
1486.6000
1460.0000
-0.2000
6.5317