Parliament passes Anti-Narcotics Law and Resolution on Turkmen National Days, begins second reading of Reform Bill
MPs of the Kurdistan Parliament on 12 January passed the Law on Narcotics and the Dealers and Users of Narcotics, and the Resolution on Turkmen National Days in Kurdistan Region. They also debated the Reform Bill for over seven hours, and decided to continue the Bill's second reading on 13 January.
MPs pass Anti-Narcotics Law
MPs voted on the title of the anti-narcotics law, each article of the law and the law as a whole. Eighty-eight MPs voted in favour of the law, which aims to reduce the trade and use of narcotics in Kurdistan Region, combat and punish drug dealing, and help addicts.
Part of the sitting was held off-camera because of concerns about the risk to MPs from those in the narcotics trade.
Parliament passes Turkmen National Days Resolution
MPs then passed the Resolution on National Days of the Turkmen Nation, with 73 voting in favour. The Resolution officially designates these dates as National Days of the Turkmen Nation in Kurdistan Region - Iraq:
17 November: Opening of the first Turkmen school in 1993, three years after Kurdistan began de facto self-rule.
25 February: In 1911, the first Turkish newspaper in Kurdistan, Iraq was published.
Under Kurdistan Region’s laws, government schools for Turkmen and Christians provide education in their mother tongue.
MPs begin second reading of Reform Bill
At the same sitting, MPs began the second reading of the Bill on Reform of Pensions, Salaries, Allowances, Grants and Other Benefits, which took over seven hours. They debated, critiqued and gave their suggestions on all the bill’s articles and the bill as a whole for more than seven hours. MPs resumed the second reading the next day, 13 January.
Several Kurdistan Regional Government ministers attended the sitting to give their comments and clarifications on the bill: Finance Minister Awat Janab; Interior Minister Rebar Ahmed; Peshmerga Minister Shoresh Ismail; Martyrs’ Affairs Minister Abdullah Haji Mahmood; Minister for the Region for Parliament Affairs Vala Fareed; Head of the Divan of the Cabinet Omed Sabah; and Cabinet Secretary Amanj Rahim.
MPs expressed concerns about the impact of the Reform Bill on the salaries and benefits of people with disabilities, former political prisoners, martyrs’ families and Peshmerga. MPs stressed the need to protect the rights of people with disabilities, and some MPs demanded that their salaries and benefits be increased to improve their living standards.
The KRG ministers responded that the Bill will not reduce benefits for those who are entitled, but will remove benefits from those who have been making multiple, unjustified or false claims.
Martyrs and Anfal Minister Abdullah Haji Mahmood said that the aim of the provisions on martyrs' families is not to cut off their benefits, but to reorganize them in accordance with the law. Finance Minister Awat Janab clarified the benefits for people with disabilities.
The ministers of Peshmerga and the Interior also stressed that they want to improve the lives of Peshmerga and security forces. Interior Minister Rebar Ahmed pledged that reform will be carried out in all sectors.
Main provisions of the Reform Bill
The aim of the Reform Bill is to bring fairness to the system of government employees’ and others’ salaries, pensions and benefits. It also aims to reduce the government’s financial burden and debt.
The bill proposes that pensions for all government employees be paid only when they reach the age of 45, and only after a minimum of 15 years of service. At present, pensions are paid at a rate of 80% of salary, and are paid immediately to those who resign from government employment, even in their 20s.
The bill proposes to reduce the rate of pensions paid as a percentage of salary for high-ranking posts, such as ministers, general directors, MPs and advisers. At the same time, the pension-to-salary rate for lower grade employees will be increased.
The bill aims to reduce the number of people who unjustifiably receive more than one salary, pension or benefit, or receive allowances that they should not be entitled to.
For example, some government employees receive a ‘danger pay’ allowance for jobs that are considered dangerous or present a risk to their lives or health. The government claims that many of these danger pay allowances are unjustified because some employees receiving them are in desk jobs, not in high-risk work.
The bill includes a provision that all the government institutions will review employees’ grades and Peshmerga ranks, to ensure that their grades are correct in accordance with their years of service and academic qualifications.
The articles of the Reform Bill cover these areas:
Part 1: Purpose and objectives of the law
Part 2: Pensions
Part 3: Reorganisation of rights and privileges of the dependents of martyrs, victims of Anfal and political prisoners
Part 4: Removing unjustified claims for benefits and privileges, and ensuring that individuals receive one salary or benefit, not multiple ones.
Part 5: Peshmerga forces, security forces and police - Ensuring that all Peshmerga forces and all of the Peshmerga budget are brought under the Peshmerga Ministry. Returning all government security guards who are being used by other organisations to the supervision of the Interior Ministry.
Part 6: Ensure fairness in granting additional allowances. Allowances are for married employees, those with children, those with university degrees, or those who carry out dangerous work.
Part 7: Checking, validating, correcting and reassigning the grades, ranks and job titles of all civilian government employees, security forces and Peshmerga, to ensure that they are in line with their years of service and qualifications.
Part 8: Details of the government institutions that are responsible for implementing the law.
