Speaker Faiq and Deputy Speaker Hawrami discuss key issues with consuls of EU nations
Kurdistan Parliament Speaker Dr. Rewaz Faiq and Deputy Speaker Dr. Hemin Hawrami on 22 June met with the EU’s representative and the consuls of EU nations based in Kurdistan Region. They discussed the current key issues of the next Iraqi election, the Bill to Establish the Special Court for Crimes by ISIS, and drafting the Kurdistan Constitution.
Participating in the meeting were the Head of the EU Liaison Office in Erbil Vincent Guillaume Poupeau, Germany’s acting Consul General, France’s Consul General Olive Decottignies , Hungary’s Consul General István Emri, Greece’s Consul General Dr. Stavros Kyrimis, and Poland’s Consul General Dominik Musial.
Speaker Faiq said that a Kurdistan Constitution is important and needed for the Kurdistan Region. She explained drafting stages reached in previous years, the steps that Kurdistan Parliament has taken to pave the way for continuing the drafting process and the importance of ensuring that the Kurdistan Constitution does not conflict with the Iraqi Constitution.
The Speaker said, “All the political forces and parties of Kurdistan Region support having a Constitution, in which rights, freedoms, authority and responsibilities are defined.
"Now Kurdistan Region's President has established a legal and constitutional consultative board that includes the Presidency, Parliament and Government and where there is a great deal of cooperation and support between the Presidency of Parliament and the President of the Region on this.”
Dr. Faiq summarized the Bill to Establish a Special Court in Kurdistan Region – Iraq for the and explained the international security and legal aspects and challenges of the bill.
Speaker Faiq said, "It is important for us to know the opinion of Kurdistan Region’s allies and partner nations regarding this Bill.”
Deputy Speaker Hawrami talked about the next Iraqi elections, the candidates, the new election system, the voting mechanism and the expected voter participation, and the problem for voters from the Kurdistani areas outside the KRG administrative area such as Kirkuk and the Nineveh plains.
Dr. Hawrami said that international observer teams should observe the voting across all of Iraq.
Regarding the reform process in Kurdistan Region, Deputy Speaker Hawrami emphasized the need for broad reforms in all sectors and said, “Reforms have begun but it is a long and comprehensive process and needs the cooperation of all parties.”
"So far, two reports by the High Committee for Reform have been sent to Parliament and are being discussed by our standing committees with the relevant KRG parties, as well as more discussions on how to continue implementing the Reform Law.”
The consuls gave their views on the issues and said that they look forward to more work together with Kurdistan Region.