Summary of committees’ recent meetings – 20th August 2019
Summary of Kurdistan Parliament committees’ recent meetings and activities:
Finance and Economic Affairs Committee
20 August - The committee held their usual weekly meeting, led by the committee deputy chair, Mr. Hevidar Ahmad (KDP). They discussed the state of the economy in the Kurdistan Region and the role of the Board of Audit. They decided to invite the head of the Board of Audit to Parliament to discuss reactivating the organization.
The committee also discussed the monthly salaries of Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) employees and preparation of the 2020 government budget. The committee is scheduled to meet with the KRG Minister of Finance and Economy in the near future. They have asked the KRG to speed up the process of establishing a Council on KRG employee promotions and submitting a reform bill to parliament.
Committee on Kurdistani Areas outside KRG Administrative Area
20 August - The committee held their usual meeting, led by committee chair Jiwan Rojbayani (KDP). They discussed the plight of people from Kurdistani Areas outside the KRG Administrative Area who have been displaced from their homes, especially those who are have moved to Shengal and Duhok after the attacks by ISIS.
The committee decided to visit Duhok province to hear from the displaced persons living there. They also discussed how the displaced that are living outside their own provinces can vote in Iraq’s provincial councils elections. The committee decided to visit Baghdad to continue looking for solutions to the problems faced by those displaced persons.
Committee on Municipalities, Transport, Communication, Travel, Tourism, Reconstruction and Investment
20 August - The committee met to discuss legislative proposals on ownership of land that has been illegally occupied or taken in Kurdistan Region’s municipalities. MPs have given their feedback and suggestions on the relevant bill (draft law), which has 12 articles. The committee’s members will vote on the entire draft of the bill at their next meeting. The meeting was led by the committee chair, Mr. Hawre Mala Star (PUK).
Peshmerga, Interior, Security and Local Councils Committee
20 August - The committee met to discuss proposals for legislation sent by Parliament’s Presidency. They discussed a bill on preventing the illegal use, appropriation or occupation of government land, and proposed amendments to the anti-narcotics law and the traffic law.
The committee decided to form a sub-committee to follow up on the suggestions and complaints that the committee has received from the public.
The meeting was led by the committee chair Reving Heruri (KDP).
Culture, Civil Society, Sports and Youth Committee
20 August - The committee met with Kurdish film director Mr. Jano Rosebiani. He asked the committee to exert efforts to help develop cinema in Kurdistan Region. He also asked for a cinema and film-making centre to be established in the Region, which would help to attract investment in the sector.
The committee’s chair Mr. Luqman Wardy (PUK) pointed to the importance of cinema in introducing and promoting a nation’s culture. He promised to support Mr Rosebiani and hold a meeting with the KRG Ministry of Culture to discuss his suggestion on establishing a film-making centre.
20 August - The committee held their regular meeting, led by committee chair Mr. Luqman Wardi (PUK). The committee discussed the bill on advertising from different perspectives. The committee scheduled the first reading of the bill for Parliament’s autumn session, after the summer recess.
Legislative Committee
20 August - The committee discussed the problems faced by petitioners in the Kurdistan Region’s judicial system. They decided to direct the issue to the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Council of Ministers.
The committee also discussed bills (draft laws) that have been prepared for their first reading, and decided to direct the bills to the Parliament’s Presidency Board.
The meeting was led by the committee’s chair Mr. Bizhar Kochar (KDP).
