The Finance Committee addresses the government in order to send the draft budget

Baghdad News:

The Parliamentary Finance Committee confirmed that it is waiting for the budget bill to be sent to the House of Representatives by the Federal Government.

Committee member Shirvan Mirza said in a statement received by “Al-Ikhbaria” that the parliament is waiting for the federal government to send the federal budget bill for the year 2020 to the parliament.

He added: The government was scheduled to send the budget to the House of Representatives at the end of last month as requested by the House of Representatives, but the government did not send the budget.

He explained: The Finance Committee in the House of Representatives again addressed the Ministry of Finance to the need to send the budget for discussion and approval by the House of Representatives.

https://www.ikhnews.com/index.php?page=article&id=221781

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An economist reveals the positives of lifting the curfew and reopening malls and airports

Corona News 2020/07/18 20:49 40    

Baghdad today – Baghdad

The economist, Hammam Al-Shamaa, on Saturday (July 18, 2020), presented what he described as the positives of lifting the comprehensive curfew after Eid Al-Adha and the reopening of malls and airports while committing to health protection from the Corona virus.

Al-Shamaa said, in an interview with (Baghdad Today), that “lifting the curfew and allowing movement between the provinces will revitalize tourism activities and restore part of the stalled economic wheel and have positive effects.”

He added, “The opening of airports may have a positive impact on the Iraqi economy, not tourism as much as it revives the activities of air companies, tourism and airport revenues,” noting that “the movement of international airports will have a positive impact on government returns.” 

Al-Shamaa pointed out that “the economic gains figures for Iraq cannot be estimated, but it will restore the movement of gross domestic product through internal trade, transport activities and economic restoration.”

The Iraqi government had issued a statement that included decisions of the Supreme Committee for Health and National Safety regarding the curfew and the reopening of malls and airports, which were published earlier, citing informed sources.

The committee said in the statement published by the official Iraqi government page on Facebook that it had decided to “reduce curfew hours to start from 9:30 pm until 6:00 am from Sunday, July 19, and to lift the curfew completely after the Eid al-Adha holiday.”

She added that she decided to allow the reopening of malls and shopping centers, provided that the measures for health protection and social separation are adhered to and that the airports of Iraq are reopened as of July 23.

The committee also confirmed that it had decided to allow the border crossings of Al-Mundhiriyah, Safwan and Al-Shaib to be reopened to commercial exchange

The Committee stressed the importance of adhering to strict preventive health measures and rules for social separation, and reaffirmed that the Coronavirus virus disease remains a serious public health threat, and urged all citizens to continue to follow formal health guidelines in order to preserve their and their families’ and society’s safety.

https://baghdadtoday.news/ar/news/125907/%D8%AE%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%AA%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%8A-%D9%8A%D9%83%D8%B4%D9%81-%D8%B9%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%AC

A spokesman for the Commander in Chief threatens Ghaidan’s killers and confirms: We are able to protect the investing companies and our people.

security 07/1920 2020 13:38 1653 Editor: ht    

Baghdad today – Baghdad

The spokesman for the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Major General Yahya Rasoul, confirmed on Saturday (18 July 2020) the ability of the Iraqi government to protect the companies investing in Iraq.

Messenger said in a press statement, “The Iraqi government is able to protect the investing companies,” noting that “Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi took a set of bold steps, chief among them being the control of border crossings.”

He added that “the government wants there to be investment, construction and companies, and that there will be job opportunities for our youth, who stood with the security forces.”

Messenger added that “security will be provided not only to all companies, but to our entire people,” adding: “We are able to stand up to all challenges, and Iraq is greater than all these challenges.”

Regarding the killing of the brigade commander of the 56th Iraqi Army yesterday by a terrorist attack in Tarmiyah, north of Baghdad, Rasul said that “the martyrdom of Brigadier Ali Ghaidan will not pass, and the killers will face their fate,” noting that “Brigadier Ali Ghaidan was killed by shooting by a group that takes the geographical nature of the Tarmiyah district as a cover to her”.

And that “ISIS elements did not enter into a direct confrontation in the process of targeting Colonel Ali Ghaidan.

https://baghdadtoday.news/ar/news/125863/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B7%D9%82-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%85

Very good news about the salaries of employees for the month of July

Economie 7/19/2020 17:05 6694    

Baghdad today – Baghdad,

a member of the Finance Committee in the Iraqi parliament, Thamer Diban, today, Saturday, that there is a real trend, at the Ministry of Finance, to distribute the salaries of employees and retirees before Eid al-Adha.

Theban said, (Baghdad today), “After the approval of the internal borrowing law, there is good financial liquidity with the central bank and banks, as well as the Ministry of Finance, and for this there is a real intention in the distribution of salaries of employees and retirees also before Eid al-Adha.”

He stressed that “all salaries of employees will be spent in various ministries, without any delay, as happened in the past month, with the distribution of salaries of employees and the delay in the payment of salaries of others, so all salaries will be released together.”

A member of the Commission for Human Rights, Ali al-Bayati, said that the salaries of employees in Iraq are spent every 45 days, which directly affects their living, while noting that 42% of Iraqis suffer from the fragility of their living conditions.

Al-Bayati added in a televised interview (Baghdad Today) that “most countries have put in their strategies and plans decisions that minimize the harm of the Corona pandemic to their citizens economically if they lose work or their work is affected.”

He added, “Unfortunately in Iraq, there was a focus on the health aspect only, and the affected citizen side neglected, raising the number of citizens under the poverty line by 31% of the people, and there are 42% of Iraqis suffering from fragility in their living conditions because it is unstable and just above the poverty line and their lives are threatened.” .

He warned, “Also, one of every two children lacks the conditions for a decent life, which are the requirements for living, health and education, and these will lead to dangerous consequences.”

He pointed out that “the file of delaying the distribution of salaries has begun to affect significantly, as salaries have become spent every 45 days and affect the lives of employees.”

“We need clear, short and distant government plans and strategies for the citizens, the citizens are worried and don’t know how to plan their lives, and even the merchants are worried and they don’t know what will happen to it,” he added.

He said, “Since 2010, there was a strategy of the Ministry of Planning to Combat Poverty, supported by the World Bank, and approximately 1.5 billion dollars were spent on it. This issue should be supported by all state ministries. On the ground, nothing has been achieved, but the poverty rate has increased by more than 10%, and it has exceeded 30%. ”

He added, “We also have a significant increase in the unemployment rate. 600 thousand Iraqi youths provided care in 2019 for salaries, while 3 million foreign workers are present in Iraq, and this is a major contradiction in the state’s work mechanism.”

The Ministry of Planning announced early July that a pandemic raised the proportion of Iraqis under the poverty line from 22% in 2018 to more than 31% this year.

Last Thursday, Health Minister Hassan al-Tamimi said that doctors and employees of the ministry had not received their salaries for 45 days.

And the Iraqi Ministry of Finance announced, last Friday (3 July 2020), the direct launch of salary financing for last June.

The Director General of the Accounting Department at the Ministry said, in a statement received (Baghdad Today), that the department has started to follow the salary financing transactions since last Wednesday, (1 July 2020), and it continues to do so until completing all salary financing transactions for the month of June.

The Central Bank of Iraq announced last Thursday (2 July 2020) the re-deduction of bonds for the Ministry of Finance to secure salaries for a period of three months, likely to be paid early next week.

The official news agency quoted the Director General of Accounting at the Central Bank, Ihsan Shamran, as saying that the Central Bank has a big role in facing the current financial crisis, stressing the re-deduction of bonds in favor of the Ministry of Finance by about 8 trillion dinars.

Shamran saw that these bonds would enable the ministry to secure employee salaries for the months of July, August and September, pointing out that the bank made it easier for the Ministry of Finance to process the debt repayment for 10 years.

https://baghdadtoday.news/ar/news/125890/%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%B1-%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%AC%D8%AF%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D8%B4%D8%A3%D9%86-%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AA%D8%A8-%D8%A7

Iraq is blacklisted by the European Union

Hussain Imran

A big problem, such as the accusation of money laundering, cannot be faced with appeals from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Saturday 07/18 2020

Iraq was lacking these charges

The Central Bank of Iraq is silent and we have not heard of any comment

The file must be dealt with in a professional manner before Iraq requests that its name be removed from the list

Imposing restrictions on money transfers to and from Iraq, which hinders the flow of funds necessary for investment

No soft loans from the International Monetary Fund, monitoring all financial transfers to and from Iraq, low investment companies ’business to expose them to extortion.

These are the most prominent “gains” of Iraq, after being placed by the European Union on the list of high-risk countries in money laundering and terrorist financing! How can Iraq get out of this list?

Let’s start from the first story.

We say … the situation in Iraq has become threatened with economic collapse after being placed by the European Union on the list of countries that lack international standards to prevent money laundering and combat the financing of terrorism.

This is not new to Iraq, as the European Union previously put Iraq on this list since 2016, and the European Union has tried to help Iraq out of this list after the Union helped in 2018 lift the sanctions that were imposed on it. Instead of Iraq benefiting from this positive step to improve its image and economic situation in front of the world, it has been pushed into projects tainted by corruption in addition to the continuation of the currency auction, which the European Union considers a broad window for money laundering, so the European Union renewed Iraq’s fixation in this list within its latest version in July 2020.

It is true that Iraq moved diplomatically in the recent period to remove its name from this list, when Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein phoned his German counterpart Haikou Maas, who will head the European Union this week, asking him to make efforts to remove Iraq from the list of high-risk countries in money laundering and terrorist financing.

But … such important issues cannot be resolved by phone call, as happens in Iraq when a criminal is released by phone call, or when someone is assigned to an important location by phone call as well, since this file must be dealt with in a professional manner, there are specific requirements And fixed standards for Iraq to adhere to before it requests the competent authorities to remove its name from this list.

But a lord of questioner says what does it mean to place Iraq on this list. We say that this does not only mean placing restrictions and monitoring financial transfers to and from Iraq, but also the difficulty of obtaining financial grants and soft loans from the International Monetary Fund, at a time when Iraq became in great need For such loans to pay the salaries of his employees is nothing but.

It is true that the foreign and finance ministries moved “a little”To end this file, except that specialists confirm that this file can be resolved through the Central Bank of Iraq, which has remained silent about this file and we have not heard any comment from it, especially since the European Union considers the Central Bank not to adhere to professional standards in dealing with the currency auction that allows money laundering Significantly, as the European Union knows very well that Iraq imports annually about $ 60 billion worth of goods, and knows that the volume of import from Turkey is about $ 19 billion, and from Iran it is about $ 18 billion and much smaller amounts are imported by it from China, Jordan, the Emirates and Saudi Arabia, so The European Union is asking about the rest of the sums that go out of Iraq under the pretext of import, but they disappear in Arab and foreign banks without entering any imported goods, which is considered an indication of money laundering, especially since the Lebanese financial crisis revealed the existence of billions of dollars resulting from the sale of oil. Kurdistan region in the Lebanese banks without knowing itThe federal government in Baghdad!

Putting Iraq on this list will reduce many investment opportunities, especially as investment companies are exposed to multifaceted blackmail by militias that take royalties from companies that the European Union considers unprotected as a result of this blackmail.

It can also be said that placing the European Union in Iraq on this list is not a punishment as much as it is imposing restrictions on financial transfers to and from Iraq, which will disrupt the flow of funds necessary to develop investment within the country! As per the laws of the European Union, banks, other financial companies and tax companies are obligated to have more careful scrutiny towards their customers who have dealings with the countries on the list, and as a result of Iraq’s inclusion in the list, banks and other entities covered by the EU’s anti-money laundering rules will have to apply Increased checks on financial operations that include customers and financial institutions from these “high-risk” countries in order to identify any “suspicious” financial flows.

Placing Iraq on this list will seriously damage its financial and political reputation, as it will affect its current credit rating from B- to C- or C + or other lower ratings and this will entail significant costs, as it will be difficult for Iraq to obtain credit or international loans or From international institutions granting concessional terms.

Also, according to this European decision, the conditions will be harsh for the loan requested by Iraq and approved by Parliament from international institutions, and it is expected that the interest rates and guarantees required will increase and the grace period for repayment will be reduced, as it will be difficult for Iraq to schedule its debts, all of these matters will result from a lowering of the credit rating.

We say that the Iraqi Foreign Minister’s appeals to his German counterpart to make efforts and remove Iraq from this list will not help, as the European Union has for years been Iraq is the largest country that laundered money abroad, and money laundering operations that have been carried out during the past years can be estimated between 250 to 350 billion Almost dollars, and this rounding in numbers is due to the lack of information or transparency.

Iraq must take effective and positive steps if it wants to get out of this list. First, it must take effective measures towards combating the money laundering and terrorist financing process and demonstrate its restriction to the militias they are talking about and neutralize its activity, as the Foreign Ministry’s “objections” will not produce a result, unless The currency auction, which is the largest window for smuggling and money laundering, stops.

And if Iraq wants to get out of this list, we can say that there are specific requirements and fixed standards, which Iraq is required to abide by to get it out of this list, there are periodic legal issues by the European Union that clarify these standards and requirements and this matter requires Iraq to allocate professional and specialized people to follow This matter and communication with the legal and financial authorities in the European Union and their dialogue in detail to identify these requirements and raise Iraqi standards in the financial and legal aspects in order for Iraq to come out of this list.

Prior to that, and as a gesture of goodwill on Iraq, stopping the currency auction and neutralizing the work of the militias that threaten and blackmail investors, and work in all transparency with its financial dealings with the countries of the world. Thus, only Iraq can get out of this list. Will Iraq be able to do that?

Hussain Imran

https://middle-east-online.com/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%85%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D9%84%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%A8%D9%8A

Baghdad Investment announces the completion of the first commercial complex in Baghdad

Mall. “Internet”

Construction and building

The Economy News – Baghdad

Baghdad Investment Commission announced, on Saturday, the completion of the project of the first commercial complex in the center of the capital to simulate the central markets and in a modern developed style.

The Chairman of the Commission, Shaker Al-Zamili, said in a statement reported by the official “Al-Sabah” newspaper, which was read to him by “Al-Iqtisad News”. Al-Khalani area. ”

He added that “this project is one of the best commercial projects that were implemented in the capital in the investment style, as it mediates the commercial and vital areas that link the two sides of Karkh and Rusafa and focus the commercial movement, as well as it mimics the central markets in a modern and modern manner.”

He pointed out that “it consists of 450 shops and 3 floors, in addition to elevators and a parking space for multi-storey cars with a capacity of 4,000 wheels, in addition to various commercial services that allow small merchants to participate in the complex.”

Al-Zamili explained that “the complex underscores its importance, that when it opens, it will eliminate the phenomenon of commercial slums and arrange them in a regular and coordinated way that serves its users and workers alike.”

He noted that “the company that carried out it adopted international designs and maps in the establishment of these complexes in a modern and sophisticated manner and in record time to be an ideal destination and a great starting point for commercial work in the region.”

http://economy-news.net/content.php?id=21075

The Peshmerga announces a joint proliferation of disputed territories and regards them as a “good start”

2020/07/18 07:09:15

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Shafaq News / Deputy Chief of Peshmerga Staff, Major-General Kahraman Kamal, announced on Saturday that the Peshmerga Ministry and the Iraqi Ministry of Defense had reached an agreement formula that resulted in a joint redeployment in disputed areas that administratively follow Diyala Province.

“After the advancement of the Iraqi forces and their approaching about 500 meters from the Peshmerga forces, we made a call from Baghdad in which we called for the necessity of withdrawing these forces,” Major General Kamal said in press statements today, adding that according to an agreement between the Peshmerga and Defense ministries, the forces withdrew.

And he added that it was decided to redeploy a joint Iraqi forces with the Peshmerga in those areas, pointing out that the security vacuum that has taken place in it has been filled with the consent of both parties, and this is in the interest of both sides.

Major General Kamal considered the joint redeployment within the boundaries of the Khanaqin district a “good start” to reach an agreement on the joint deployment of the Peshmerga and Iraqi forces in the other disputed areas, and any other place that witnesses a security vacuum.

It is noteworthy that the border areas between Diyala and the Kurdistan region, “the disputed areas,” witnessed a security unrest for more than two years after the infiltration of ISIS elements fleeing from the liberated regions and governorates to orchards and agricultural reeds.

On July 11, the General Command of the Iraqi Armed Forces launched military operations called “the Fourth Iraq Heroes” to clear the areas between Diyala and Kurdistan and the border areas with Iran, east of Diyala.

Also participated in the operations of the Anti-Terrorism Regiment in Sulaimaniyah of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan within the borders of the Kurdistan Region.

And the anti-terrorist apparatus of the Sulaymaniyah Governorate prevented the Iraqi army from crossing the “36th line” that separates the borders of Khanaqin and the Kurdistan Region as a watershed for security responsibilities between the federal and Kurdish security forces, according to security agreements.

The United States of America imposed, in the 1990s, in conjunction with its allies through the Security Council, a no-fly zone over Iraqi territory, north of latitude 36, to protect the Kurdistan Region at the time from the Iraqi regime’s raids.

The Undersecretary of the Peshmerga Ministry, Serpest Lachkin, announced on Wednesday that the recent military operations in the disputed areas in cooperation and coordination between the Iraqi security forces and the counter-terrorism apparatus in Sulaimaniya were not in the knowledge of the ministry, while bearing the leadership of the agency responsible for the stationing of Iraqi forces in Kurdistan regions.

https://www.shafaaq.com/ar/%D9%83%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%AF%D8%B3%D9%80%D9%80%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AA/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%86-%D8%A5%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%B4%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D9%85%D8%B4%D8%AA%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D9%85%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B7%D9%82-%D9%85%D8%AA%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B2%D8%B9-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%87%D8%A7-%D9%88%D8%AA-%D8%B9%D8%AF%D9%87%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%AC%D9%8A%D8%AF%D8%A9/

Major General Tahsin al-Khafaji declares direct control of border crossings

Baghdad / news

A spokesman for the Joint Operations Command, Major-General Tahsin al-Hafaji, announced today, Saturday, that he has begun and began controlling border crossings.

Al-Khafaji told Al-Akhbariya that “our forces have begun imposing control over the border outlets to provide adequate protection for employees,” noting that “the rapid reaction forces imposed control of the Diyala outlets with Iran, while naval forces began securing the ports from any security breach.”

He explained that “Basra operations started to spread in all the border outlets,” noting that “the goal of the deployment is to expel any influential person trying to control or exploit the ports for his own benefit.”

Al-Khafaji pointed out that “another goal is to provide full protection for customs officials who may be exposed or blackmailed, as well as protect vital sites in the outlets.”

https://www.ikhnews.com/index.php?page=article&id=221753

Disclosure of the opening date of the gray port in front of the commercial exchange

Baghdad / news

The director of the gray port, Hussein Fahd Hatem, revealed today, Saturday, the opening date of the gray border crossing in front of the commercial exchange.

Hatem said in a statement to the official agency, that “preventive measures will be taken for expatriates and those who come close to them,” noting that “the port of graying will open on the 23rd of this month for commercial exchange.”

He added, “A government delegation visited the port of gray hair and was briefed on security measures.”

He continued, “Al-Shaib border post was provided with a full commando unit.”

https://www.ikhnews.com/index.php?page=article&id=221745