Committees' recent meetings - 22 October 2020
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Integrity Committee
20 October - The committee, led by the chair Shirin Amin (Gorran) met to discuss the case of a company that transferred six billion euros abroad.
The committee is following up on the transfer abroad of 6 billion euros from Kurdistan Region by the Land Economic Companies Group.
Per Article 32 of Parliament’s Internal Rules of Procedure, any MP can attend and speak at a committee’s meeting (without the right to vote). Hence non-member MP Karwan Gazneyi (PUK), who raised the case, participated in the meeting.
The committee asked Mr. Gazneyi to provide a special report of evidence and information for further investigation.
A parliamentary adviser and financial expert who attended the meeting then presented some information about the case to the committee members and the MPs decided to continue investigating the issue.
19 October - The committee, led by the chair Shirin Amin (Gorran), held their regular meeting. They discussed the second report by the NGO ‘Stop’ on the implementation of the Reform Law, and stressed the importance of the law being followed.
All the notes, requests and complaints sent by the public were read and discussed by the committee to help find suitable solutions.
Relations and Kurdish Diaspora Committee
20 October - The committee, led by the chair Dr. Rebwar Babkayi (KDP), met to review and finalise their draft report on youth migration from Kurdistan Region.
The MPs exchanged views, reviewed and finalized their report, and sent it the Parliament Presidency with a request that a sitting be scheduled for all MPs to debate the problem of youth migration.
Interior, Security and Local Councils Committee
20 October - The committee, led by the chair Shakhawan Rauf Mustafa (Gorran), held their regular meeting.
The MPs discussed their visited to the Interior Ministry last week, and they decided to continue such visits in the future.
The committee also discussed their project on retirement of security forces and local forces. They decided to invite a committee from the Interior Ministry to explain the issue.
All of the reports and notes sent to the committee were read and received a response or were directed to the Parliament presidency for further work.
Peshmerga Committee
20 October - The committee, led by the chair Reving Heruri (KDP), welcomed the director and deputy director of the Peshmerga Ministry’s medical affairs directorate.
The directorate’s work and the problems that it has been facing were discussed. The committee emphasized that by preparing a new bill (draft legislation), the directorate’s responsibilities would be better served and managed.
The MPs and directors also discussed the health needs of the Peshmerga forces, the required medical staff and supplies, as well as the current conditions for Peshmerga who were injured in the war against ISIS.
20 October – On the same day the committee held another meeting at which the MPs who had visited the Peshmerga Ministry’s reform and retirement directorates explained their findings.
The committee decided to give more attention to the steps of implementing the reform law.
All of the notes and requests sent to the committee by the public were discussed and received replies or were sent to the Parliament presidency for further work.
Committee on Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research
20 October - Members of the Committee, led by vice chair Muslim Abdullah Qasri (KIG), visited the KRG Ministry of Finance and Economy met the Minister Awat Sheikh Janab.
The MPs raised several issues, including the salaries and financial rights of university lecturers and Education Ministry teachers, especially the financial rights of Salahaddin University’s lecturers.
The committee asked Minister Sheikh Janab to investigate and resolve those salary problems. He pledged to solve them according to the law and instructions.
The committee and Minister Sheikh Janab agreed on the need for more coordination.
Reconstruction and Investment Committee
20 October - The Committee, led by the chair Hawre Mala Star (PUK), held their regular meeting.
The MPs discussed road and housing problems in some localities, including the Choman-Haji Omran road, the Choman-Soran road, roads between Kifri and Kalar, and Kalar teachers’ housing.
The committee also had a general conversation about electricity problems, and decided to follow up on all of the issues in this area.
All the reports and notes sent to the committee were read and received replies, or were directed to the relevant authorities for investigation and follow-up.
Endowments and Religious Affairs Committee
19 October- The committee, led by the vice chair Mala Ihsan Rekani (KDP) welcomed Mir Ismat Mir Tahsin Beg, son of the late former leader of the Yazidis, and his delegation of clerics.
The MPs and Yazidi delegation discussed the state of interfaith relations and peaceful coexistence in Kurdistan, and the importance of all religious communities enjoying freedom of worship.
The bravery and important role of the Peshmerga forces in protecting all communities during the war against ISIS was also discussed.
The MPs and Mir Ismat said that the agreement between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Iraqi Federal Government to normalize the situation in Shengal (Sinjar) was a very important step.
The Yazidi delegation invited the committee to visit religious sites and places of worship in Duhok.
Natural Resources, Commerce and Industry Committee
20 October - The committee, led by the vice-chair Gulizar Rashid Sindi (KDP), met with the KRG Electricity Minister Kamal Mohammad Salih Khalil.
The MPs and Minister Kamal Mohammad discussed the privatization of the electricity sector. The minister explained the steps and details of the process and assured the committee that the price of electricity will not increase and that the government will regulate electricity companies’ work.
Both sides exchanged views about the process.
Committee on Municipalities, Transport, Communication, Travel and Tourism
19 October – Members of the committee, led by the chair Luqman Wardi (PUK), visited the KRG Minister for Municipalities and Tourism, Sasan Awni.
The MPs and Minister Sasan Awni discussed public services in Kurdistan Region’s towns and districts and the MPs stressed that service provision must be expanded to all geographic areas.
Another topic of the meeting was Law No. 3 of 2019 on Ownership of Illegally Taken or Used Land in Kurdistan Region’s Municipalities. The MPs and Minister Awni discussed the steps of implementing the law. The MPs said that certain articles of this law, which allows people to buy government land that they have occupied or taken unlawfully, should be amended.
The meeting also covered household water meters and refuse collection. The MPs said that the public’s financial situation must be taken into account when making any decisions, given the current economic recession.