Committees' recent meetings - 14 June 2021

Peshmerga Committee

13 June – The committee, led by the chair Reving Heruri (KDP), held their meeting by video conference.

The result of the committee’s visit to the border areas, as part of Kurdistan Parliament’s joint committee with Iraq’s Council of Representatives was discussed. The aim of the visit was to investigate on the damage caused by the conflict between Turkey and the PKK war to the villages in the border areas of Duhok, as well as the casualties inflicted on the Peshmerga forces. The MPs prepared their report on their findings.

The MPs also discussed their visit to the Peshmerga fronts to follow up on the general state of the fronts and Peshmerga forces, and to understand their problems and demands. The committee decided to meet with the senior officials of the Peshmerga ministry to discuss the problems facing the Peshmerga forces.

Culture, Civil Society, Sports and Youth Committee

14 June - The committee, led by chair Salma Fatih (PUK), welcomed the staff of the Institute for International Law and Human Rights (IILHR), an international non-profit legislation consultancy.

The meeting was to discuss enriching and organizing the Bill on Preservation of Documents, Manuscripts and National Archives in Kurdistan. The chair of the committee briefed IILHR on the content and importance of the bill.

The IILHR staff agreed that the bill is very important for preserving and protecting the cultural history and nation identity of Kurdistan. 

They agreed to continue exchanging views on the bill so that it will meet international standards.

Relations and Kurdish Diaspora Committee

14 June – The committee, led by the chair Dr. Rebwar Babkayi (KDP), exchanged views on the symposium that they had organized on 6 June on the Challenges and Prospects for Kurdistan Region, which included panels on the US-Iraq Strategic Dialogue, security threats after the war against ISIS, anticipated changes after the next Iraqi election, the Reform process and the impact of political disunity on Kurdistan Region’s position and status.

The committee decided to arrange a meeting with the Head and staff of the KRG Department of Foreign Relations to discuss and evaluate the report on the work and activities of the KRG Representative offices abroad.

Committee on Kurdistani Areas outside KRG Administrative Area

14 June – The committee, led by the chair Jiwan Rojbayani (KDP), met with the KRG Minister for Federal Affairs Khaled Shwani, and Faris Issa, the KRG’s representative in Baghdad.

The discussions covered the situation in the Kurdistani Areas, the KRG’s efforts to implement the Sinjar Agreement and to normalize other areas,

The KRG representatives and the committee agreed on more meetings in the future and held a joint press conferece after the meeting.

Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research Committee

14 June – the committee, led by the chair Abdusalam Dolamari (KDP), discussed the issue of the top three university and institutes graduates not being employed by the government. They also discussed the demands of part-time (hourly rate) teachers and contract workers.  

The MPs decided to meet with the finance, education and higher education ministries to look further into these problems.

Later the committee welcomed Brusk Sami Jalal, a student, together with his father and the managers of his school, and gave them a gift to congratulate Brusk and on achieving first place in the Middle East in a drawing competition set by the World Health Organization (WHO) to depict protecting ourselves from the Coronavirus. The MPs wished Brusk more success in the future.

Health, Environment and Protection of Consumer Rights Committee

14 June –the committee chair Dr. Sabah Zebari (KDP) said that the KRG Council of Ministers has agreed to increase the funding allocated to cancer medications and treatments, because of recent shortages.

The sub-committee that had been formed to look into the logging of trees by Turkey on the borders of Duhok Governorate gave their report on the issue to the committee chair.

The committee also discussed their meeting with a doctor who has made allegations of corruption and failings in Halabja Governorate’s health administration. The MPs decided to form a sub-committee to investigate the facts, reveal who is responsible, and to take measures.

Finance and Economic Affairs Committee

14 June – The committee led by the chair Ziyad Jabbar (PUK) met with Awat Sheikh Janab, the KRG Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, and Dr. Abdulhakim Khasro, Secretary of the High Committee for Reform.

The meeting was held to discuss the second report by the High Committee for Reform on the implementation of the Reform Law (Law no. 2 of 2020).

Minister Awat Sheikh Janab said that the ministries and directorates have been asked to check and confirm employees’ biometric data. 

Dr. Abdulhakim Khasro focused on the points on employees’ allowances in the second report on reform.

The Parliament committee plans to continue its meetings on the implementation of reform in the coming days and weeks.

Endowments and Religious Affairs Committee

14 June – The committee, led by the chair, Hawraman Gacheney (KIG), meet with Abbas Saleh Abdulaziz, Director General of Hajj and Umrah at the KRG Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs to discuss the cancellation of this year’s Hajj pilgrimage, as Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has decided that due to COVID-19 it will allow 60,000 domestic pilgrims only.

The meeting also discussed the proposal by the Kurdistan Islamic Scholars Union on the status of religion in the draft constitution of the Kurdistan Region. They stressed the need for more coordination with Kurdistan’s religious scholars and religious institutions, as the Constitution will be for all citizens of Kurdistan Region regardless of their religion or ethnicity and should reflect the will of the Kurdistani people as well as respect all religions and ethnicities.

The committee discussed the request and proposal by the Kurdistan Quran Reciters Association on reopening halls for religious events, funeral wakes, and the Mawlood (singing religious songs on the Prophet Mohammed’s (PBUH) birthday) according to health guidelines, with the need for joint coordination between the Ministries of Endowments and Religious Affairs and the Ministry of Health.

The committee also reviewed the letters and requests sent by the public and raised them with the relevant authorities.