Kurdistan Parliament MPs and senior KRG officials discuss KRG's plan to participate in preparing Iraq's 2020 budget

Kurdistan Parliament MPs on 12 September were briefed by senior KRG officials on the KRG's plan to participate in preparing a draft of Iraq’s 2020 federal budget with Iraq's Ministry of Finance. They also discussed other critical issues for the Kurdistan Region. The meeting was chaired by Parliament Deputy Speaker Hemin Hawrami.

MPs at the meeting were Secretary Muna Kahveci the heads of the parliamentary party blocks and chairs of: the Legislative Committee; Finance and Economic Affairs Committee; and Energy and Natural Resources Committee. From the KRG side, Minister for the Region for Parliament Affairs Dr. Vala Fareed, Secretary of the Council of Ministers Dr. Amanj Rahim, and Head of the Divan of the Council of Ministers Dr. Omed Sabah were at the meeting.

The MPs and government officials also discussed: coordination between the Kurdistan Parliament and the KRG; Erbil-Baghdad talks on key issues of national importance; gaining the legal and constitutional rights of the people of Kurdistan on the Iraqi budget, oil and financial allocations; the KRG's plan to take part in preparing the 2020 federal budget with the Iraqi Ministry of Finance; and implementing Article 140 of the Constitution.

Dr. Omed Sabah reiterated the importance of Parliament-Government coordination, and said that a national Constitution will be written that addresses all the key rights and powers. He gave a summary of the relations and dialogue between the KRG and Iraq on outstanding issues, normalising the situation in the disputed territories, implementing Article 140, preparations for the Iraqi national census, and the Iraqi provincial elections.

Dr. Amanj Rahim discussed the fiscal problems, Kurdistan’s financial allocations, oil, the budget, and Kurdistan’s debts that were caused Iraq’s complete cut of Kurdistan’s budget, the war against ISIS and the huge influx of refugees and IDPs. He said, “The KRG 9th cabinet’s policy is to find agreement with Baghdad within the framework of the Iraqi Constitution, on the main national issues, including Article 140, the budget and oil, and on Kurdistan’s financial allocations.”