ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Iraqi parliament has called on the Council of Ministers to set a date for provincial council elections despite repeated calls by parties for them to be postponed.
“Considering the logistical difficulties and the circumstances of some provinces, and to provide citizens the chance to exercise their constitutional right in elections, the parliament is calling on the Council of Ministers to set a date for provincial council elections,” read a statement published by the Iraqi parliament on Monday.
The parliament wants provincial elections to be held no later than December 2018. Sunni MPs, however, have called for vote to be postponed since many areas of the country, mainly Sunni, have been decimated in the war against ISIS and nearly 2.5 million people remain displaced.
The media office of deputy speaker of the parliament, Aram Sheikh Mohammed, from Gorran, accused the parliament of playing games, saying discussing elections is not within the legislature’s jurisprudence. The matter comes within the purview of the Council of Ministers and the electoral body, a statement from the office asserted.
Parliamentary elections have been scheduled for May 12.
When Monday’s parliamentary session moved from the topic of elections to a second reading of the controversial 2018 budget bill, Kurdish MPs walked out.
“Our current decision is boycotting and it might be followed by political boycott,” Arez Abdullah, head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) faction in the Iraqi parliament, told Rudaw.
The Kurdish parties have said they will boycott parliamentary sessions on the budget, which they have multiple concerns about.
The session was delayed to next Sunday.
The Kurdish factions have a number of observations and demands concerning the budget bill. Their top issue is the KRG’s share, which they demand should be increased from 12.6 percent to the usual 17 percent, citing the IMF’s assertion that 12.6 percent is insufficient.
The Kurdish MPs met with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi last week after boycotting last Wednesday’s session of the parliament, which Abadi had attended.
During their meeting with Abadi, they discussed their concerns about the bill, “but our observations and constitutional rights have not been taken into consideration,” the PUK’s Abdullah said.
A technical committee was formed between the financial committee of the Iraqi parliament and the finance ministry following the meeting between the Kurdish factions and Abadi, but they are yet to reach an agreement, according to deputy speaker Mohammed’s media office.
A concern of the Kurdish representatives is that the current funds allocated to the Kurdistan Region “does not suffice for even one province,” MP Arafat Karam pointed out, according to the parliament’s statement on Monday’s session.
The MP “explained that the discussions with the head of the Council of Ministers did not lead to positive results,” the statement continued.
Abadi has vowed he will not allow the Kurdistan Region its usual 17 percent, which was cut off entirely in 2014. The prime minister claims the proposed reduced share corresponds to the size of the Kurdistan Region’s population.
Sunni members of the Iraqi parliament also have objections to the budget bill and have called for more funds to be allocated for the war-damaged provinces.
“Considering the logistical difficulties and the circumstances of some provinces, and to provide citizens the chance to exercise their constitutional right in elections, the parliament is calling on the Council of Ministers to set a date for provincial council elections,” read a statement published by the Iraqi parliament on Monday.
The parliament wants provincial elections to be held no later than December 2018. Sunni MPs, however, have called for vote to be postponed since many areas of the country, mainly Sunni, have been decimated in the war against ISIS and nearly 2.5 million people remain displaced.
The media office of deputy speaker of the parliament, Aram Sheikh Mohammed, from Gorran, accused the parliament of playing games, saying discussing elections is not within the legislature’s jurisprudence. The matter comes within the purview of the Council of Ministers and the electoral body, a statement from the office asserted.
Parliamentary elections have been scheduled for May 12.
When Monday’s parliamentary session moved from the topic of elections to a second reading of the controversial 2018 budget bill, Kurdish MPs walked out.
“Our current decision is boycotting and it might be followed by political boycott,” Arez Abdullah, head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) faction in the Iraqi parliament, told Rudaw.
The Kurdish parties have said they will boycott parliamentary sessions on the budget, which they have multiple concerns about.
The session was delayed to next Sunday.
The Kurdish factions have a number of observations and demands concerning the budget bill. Their top issue is the KRG’s share, which they demand should be increased from 12.6 percent to the usual 17 percent, citing the IMF’s assertion that 12.6 percent is insufficient.
The Kurdish MPs met with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi last week after boycotting last Wednesday’s session of the parliament, which Abadi had attended.
During their meeting with Abadi, they discussed their concerns about the bill, “but our observations and constitutional rights have not been taken into consideration,” the PUK’s Abdullah said.
A technical committee was formed between the financial committee of the Iraqi parliament and the finance ministry following the meeting between the Kurdish factions and Abadi, but they are yet to reach an agreement, according to deputy speaker Mohammed’s media office.
A concern of the Kurdish representatives is that the current funds allocated to the Kurdistan Region “does not suffice for even one province,” MP Arafat Karam pointed out, according to the parliament’s statement on Monday’s session.
The MP “explained that the discussions with the head of the Council of Ministers did not lead to positive results,” the statement continued.
Abadi has vowed he will not allow the Kurdistan Region its usual 17 percent, which was cut off entirely in 2014. The prime minister claims the proposed reduced share corresponds to the size of the Kurdistan Region’s population.
Sunni members of the Iraqi parliament also have objections to the budget bill and have called for more funds to be allocated for the war-damaged provinces.
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