Finance Minister: The currency auction is an important part of spreading corruption, and we have evidence that large blocs are involved in it

Time: 02/05/2021 22:10:43 Read: 6,903 times

{Baghdad: Al Furat News} The Minister of Finance, Ali Abdul-Amir Allawi, said that the window for selling the currency {currency auction} to the Central Bank of Iraq, previously, was an important part in spreading financial corruption in the country. ”

Allawi said in a television interview, “We have sufficient evidence that the currency auction of the Central Bank was previously an important part in spreading corruption, and there are large political blocs involved in it and take the names and personalities participating in the auction as a front for it.”

Regarding the possibility of naming these blocs, Allawi said, “I do not have judicial immunity, and even legal protection measures are not sufficient to reveal the names.”

He added, “Corruption has decreased a lot because of the lack of financial resources for appointments and other things, but it remains rooted due to the accumulations of past years.”

Allawi stressed, “A political bloc has never nominated me for the current position, and I was assigned exclusively by Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi, with whom I have an old friendship since the 1990s,” noting that “the prime minister offered me at the beginning of the formation of the government the Ministry of Oil instead of the Ministry of Finance, and my nomination to the ministry was done from him.” Exclusively “.

He pointed out that “the Iraqi constitution gives the legislative body {Parliament} great power in front of the authority of the executive authority, and this means that there is no balance in the process.” 

Allawi ruled out “the existence of an external solution, as happened in changing the previous regime, just as the Iraqi cannot accept that a neighboring country imposes its will on his country by force, and reform and the democratic path remains the only alternative.”

It is noteworthy that the House of Representatives intends to question the Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq, Mustafa Ghaleb, fearsome by the head of the parliamentary wisdom bloc, Faleh Al-Sari, in several files, including the corruption of the currency auction.

The interrogation was scheduled to take place on the 30th of last month, but it was announced that the interrogation session would be lifted to another notice because of the lack of a quorum.

The representative of the Nasr Bloc, Hoda Sajjad, said to the Euphrates that a parliamentary bloc came to question the head of the Media and Communications Commission in absentia and evaded the attendance of the questioning session of the bank governor.

While the representative of the Al-Fateh bloc, Sanaa Al-Mousawi, said that “political agreements are behind the postponement of the questioning of the bank governor,” noting that “the failure of many MPs to attend the interrogation session is a disappointment in the stifling economic conditions in Iraq,” as she said.

Ammar Al-Masoudi

https://alforatnews.com/news/%D9%88%D8%B2%D9%8A%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%85%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D9%85%D9%84%D8%A9-%D8%AC%D8%B2%D8%A1-%D9%85%D9%87%D9%85-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%86%D8%B4%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D9%88%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%86%D8%A7-%D8%A3%D8%AF%D9%84%D8%A9-%D8%A8%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%B7-%D9%83%D8%AA%D9%84-%D9%83%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%A8%D9%87

QUBAD TALABANI REVEALS TO THE HIDDEN “NEWS CENTER” ABOUT THE AGREEMENTS OF THE CENTER AND THE REGION SINCE 2014 AND CONFIRMS: WE HAVE NOT STOLEN BASRA’S OIL

Friday, February 5, 2021 8:46 PM

Categories:  Uncategorized , Iraqi

The “National

News Center” channel on Telegram, subscribe to receive the latest news first, Powell.

National News Center / Private

The Vice President of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Qubad Talabani, revealed today, Friday, the most prominent agreements that have been concluded between the governments of Baghdad and Erbil since 2014, and while he confirmed that the Kurds did not steal the oil of Basra Governorate, he indicated that the region aspires to join the Kurds to the membership of the Oil Marketing Company (SOMO) ).

• What is the relationship of the Kurdistan region with Basra oil?

Talabani said in an exclusive interview with the (National News Center), “The political forces are constantly accusing the Kurds of possessing Basra oil, but we are in fact not responsible, and the evidence for this is that the region’s share of the state’s full budget is 5 percent, but we have been since a year 2014 and until 2018, we did not receive any sums from the federal government, ”indicating that“ if these sums were spent on investment projects in Basra or Dhi Qar, we would be happy, but these sums disappeared without knowing where they went ?! ”.

He added, “In the eighth month of the year 2020, there was an agreement between the governments of Baghdad and Erbil, whereby the federal government informed us that oil revenues and non-oil imports are all for the region, and they also pay us 320 billion dinars per month, in exchange for agreeing to send a technical team to monitor border crossings at Territory ”.

He continued, “This agreement did not last for long, as the federal government sent the amount for only two months, and then it stopped,” wondering: “Where did you spend these sums? Was it spent on Baghdad, Basra, or Salah al-Din? ”

• What is the relationship of Kurdistan with the problems afflicting the federal government?

And that “the Kurdistan region has become the (peg) on which files of corruption and problems are attached,” indicating that “if the Basra problem was solved by the region’s entitlement from the funds allocated to it, we would have waived this entitlement.”

• Will the region fulfill its obligations with the federal government?

Talabani stressed, “The Kurdistan region is ready to implement all obligations with the federal government, whether it is about oil of 250 thousand barrels per day, or even non-oil resources in the region’s outlets, according to the laws in force within the constitution, but in return the rights of the region must also be provided.”

• Why does the regional government refuse to hand over the SOMO oil company in full?

Talabani commented on that, saying: “The main source of imports in the region is oil, and through these imports many forms of expenditures are secured in the region. Therefore, if we do not have such a single source, then this means that there are no guarantees that we will obtain On our expenses through which we can pay the debts that fall on the shoulders of the region.

He added: “If we speak from a technical point, the Federal Ministry of Finance has registered figures that the number of employees in the Kurdistan region is 683 thousand employees, while there are more than 751 thousand employees in the region, how can we pay salaries at the time to employees whose names do not exist at Federal Finance if we do not have our own source of income, ”stressing that“ there is a difference in the number of employees registered with the Federal and Regional Finance by about 70 thousand employees. ”

He continued: We hope to build a new relationship related to oil and finance with the central government, and we have faith that this will be achieved step by step, until we reach the establishment of a new Sumo company in which there are members of the Board of Directors, but we are still at the beginning and this needs to work more to increase confidence between the two parties “.

• Will all the region’s oil resources be linked to a single federal government department?

Talabani said, “What the Federal Oil Minister talked about, regarding linking all the oil of the Kurdistan region to one administration of the federal government, is an unconstitutional request.”

• What are the questions that the Parliamentary Finance Committee posed to Qubad Talabani?

The deputy prime minister of the provincial government explained, “The majority of the questions were related to the region’s expenditures, the number of employees and the expenses, but I told them to leave the discussion about the sources of funding now, because each budget is made up of several parts that include imports, expenses, deficits and debts.”

He added that “there are many types of operating expenses, pensions, social care, grants to political prisoners and martyrs, in addition to the development of regions and the operational budget. All of these are expenditures, debts and loans, and must be disbursed on a monthly basis.”

He noted that “these expenditures are covered by the sources of funding that we have, which is the central government, in addition to the oil and non-oil revenues that we have, and therefore the discussion with the Finance Committee should be about what expenses come from and how they are covered, not just about revenues. “.

He pointed out that “the region wants to solve the outstanding problems with Baghdad in the fastest way in order to be implementable. We may not be 100% happy with what may come out of these dialogues, but we are working at least step by step forward, we are with any result that may be implementable.” He called on everyone to “move away from the electoral atmosphere, emotion and slogans, and to search for regional solutions for this stage.”

https://nnciraq.com/49222/

The Kurdish delegation leaves Baghdad without progress

Policy- 02-05-2021 02:47 PM – Readings: 2247

The negotiating delegation of the Kurdistan Regional Government, headed by Qubad Talabani, returned from Baghdad, while negotiations continue on the outstanding problems.
Samir Hawrami, spokesman for the deputy head of the Kurdistan Regional Government, said that the negotiating delegation returned from Baghdad, stressing that negotiations will continue on the financial dues for the Kurdistan region and the salaries of employees.
He added: The delegation will return to Baghdad again to resume negotiations to solve the problems.
The delegation of the Kurdistan region, headed by Qubad Talabani, went to Baghdad last Sunday, and held a series of meetings with officials regarding the Kurdish share of the federal budget.

https://www.dijlah.tv/index.php?page=article&id=277304

Deputy for Saeron: the budget is ready by 96%

02/05/2021

 

Baghdad – Al-Mawred News

, the MP for the Saeron Alliance, Riyadh Al-Masoudi, confirmed, today, Friday, that the budget is ready for printing and sending by 96%, while indicating that the political solution is no longer useful regarding the Kurdistan share.

 Riyadh Al-Masoudi said in a televised interview, “The budget is 96 percent complete and is in the process of closing and printing to be sent to members of Parliament for the purpose of review.”

 He added that “the ongoing discussions focus on the issue of the proportion of the Kurdistan region, and consultations by adding job grades for employees of contracts and education.”

 Al-Masoudi explained that “there are no conditions against the Kurdistan region and the political solution is no longer effective,” calling on the Kurdistan region to demand the application of the law and the constitution in order to work to restore the rights of Kurdistan employees.

https://almawrid.news/contents/view/details?id=26321

The Kurdistan Patriotic: The Kurdish delegation proposed all solutions to Baghdad

Editing date: 2/5/2021 13:41 • 72 read times

[Baghdad-Where]

Member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Rebwar Taha, said, Friday, that the negotiating Kurdish delegation proposed all solutions to Baghdad, while noting that the Kurds are waiting for what the federal government will decide on the region’s budget, and opinions may change at any moment according to interests.

In a televised interview, Taha said, “The Kurdish delegation presented its solutions regarding the 2021 budget, and all Kurdish rights cannot be waived.”

He added, “We are waiting for the political forces in Baghdad to fix Kurdistan’s share in the budget and according to the population ratios, and we hope that justice will be achieved.”

Taha indicated that “the delegation continues to make efforts to bridge the gap of views,” noting that “opinions may change at any moment according to the interests of the political forces.”

http://www.alliraqnews.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=106469

In detail … the most prominent thing that the Parliament voted so far in the 2021 budget

Time: 02/05/2021 15:45:42 Read: 1,261 times

{Baghdad: Al Furat News} A representative source revealed the most prominent thing that the Parliamentary Finance Committee has voted so far in the draft federal budget law for 2021.

The source stated that the committee voted on the following:

– Abolishing the clause withholding the salaries of state employees and retirees

– Reducing the budget of the three presidencies by 20%

– Reducing the total deficit from 47% to 19%, i.e. from 76 trillion dinars to 25 trillion dinars

– Reducing borrowing to 51 trillion dinars .

Including dues for lecturers, contracts and daily workers in the budget. 

– Activating the principle of collection in a scientific and thoughtful way.

– Increasing the amounts of developing governorates from 2 trillion dinars to 4 trillion dinars.

– Increasing the amounts of petrodollars for oil-producing provinces from 500 billion dinars to one trillion dinars.

Allocating all sums allocated to oil and gas producing governorates and considering them a guaranteed financial ceiling for referring service projects in the provinces.

– Increase the armament budget of the Iraqi army and intelligence agencies to develop their combat and information skills to confront the threat of terrorism.

– Increasing the sums allocated to the social protection network over what was allocated to it in 2020 by one trillion and 500 billion dinars to increase the number of families included in the grant while increasing the value of the grant itself.

– Increase the allocations of the Ministry of Education to enable it to print books and provide stationery for students and students.

– Allocating funds to complete the production lines of the large factories in the Ministry of Industry

– Allocating an amount to compensate those affected by changing the exchange rate from the private sector to ensure the continuation of projects at the request of the Ministry of Planning and the supervision of the Federal Office of Financial Supervision.

Allocating funds to fully pay farmers ‘and farmers’ dues, allowing them to enter imported materials used directly, and preventing agricultural goods produced in Iraq from entering through the outlets to develop the agricultural side and support farmers, with an amount of 200 billion dinars allocated to provide them with agricultural pesticides, fertilizers and seeds.

Supporting the decentralized system in the provinces and giving powers to the governors to make decisions without red tape or complicating ministries. 

– Supporting and engaging the Iraqi private sector, in which more than 5 million citizens work, to build investment projects and stimulate the local market 

– oblige the ministries to buy the local product and not allow the entry of goods similar to the local product if it is sufficient for self-sufficiency.

Supporting the Popular Mobilization Authority with the necessary equipment to fulfill their duties and protect their members in the fight against ISIS.

– Abolishing the Cabinet’s decision on preventing the entry of cars with minor damage to operate industrial neighborhoods in Iraq {denting, dyeing, etc.} that will provide thousands of job opportunities.

– Abolishing the clauses that allow selling state real estate and assets for fear of corruption in this file.

Allocating funds for the construction of Nineveh Airport, Dhi Qar Airport, the Grand Port of Al-Faw, and the innovation project to deliver drinking water to Basra.

Allocating funds to develop and complete the refineries of Shuaiba, Nasiriya, Karbala and Baiji to stop the import of petroleum products, which are costing us trillions of dinars.

Granting authority to the Ministry of Health to bring in large companies specialized in managing hospitals and providing health and medical services for free.

– Adding an amount of 339 billion dinars to the amount of medicine purchase to increase the purchasing power to buy medicines and make them available to citizens.

Ensure the delivery of crude oil produced in the fields of the Kurdistan region to the federal government.

– Increasing compensation amounts for those affected by terrorism, and those included in the decisions of the Martyrs Foundation and the Political Prisoners Association.

Allocating $ 199 million for this year to build 1,000 new schools in all governorates.

Allocating funds to build 100-bed hospitals in each governorate, along with rehabilitating Al-Jumhori and Ibn Sina hospitals in Nineveh, and building a hospital in Al-Rumaitha district in Al-Muthanna governorate, Saqlawiyah hospital and Balad.

Canceling the licenses and licenses of mobile phone companies in the event of non-payment of debts owed by them to the public treasury.

– To stop the disbursement of sums allocated to conferences, petty cash and hospitality in all ministries.

– To oblige the Council of Ministers to automate the procedures of tax, customs and import licenses at the border outlets and link them to the currency sale window in the Central Bank of Iraq.

– Importing companies are required to take out insurance in Iraqi companies exclusively to increase state revenues.

– The inclusion of areas outside the basic design of Baghdad governorate with municipal service and allocating the necessary funds for that.

Obliging the Council of Ministers to implement the biometric system for employees to detect aliens in all ministries and institutions.

Obliging the Council of Ministers to re-evaluate and negotiate with oil licensing rounds companies and Ministry of Electricity contracts.

– Canceling all customs exemptions granted to countries.

Allocating funds for the implementation of the Babil Sewage Project, the Water Desalination Project for Basra Governorate, the Grand Samawah Water Project, and the Nahrawan, Wehda, Abu Ghraib and Sabaa Al-Bour Sewage Project in Baghdad.

Allocating funds for establishing combined cycle power stations in Wasit, Samawah, Anbar and Nasiriyah.

Ammar Al-Masoudi

https://alforatnews.com/news/%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D9%81%D8%B5%D9%8A%D9%84-%D8%A3%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%B2-%D9%85%D8%A7-%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%AA%D8%AA-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%87-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%AD%D8%AA%D9%89-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A2%D9%86-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%85%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B2%D9%86%D8%A9-2021

Baghdad is waiting for the Kurdistan Region to answer 13 questions to resolve the budget dispute

Politics

Erbil

Kurdistan Region

Baghdad

The budget

Questions

Period

2021-02-05 06:46

A- A A +

Shafaq News / Kurdistan Parliament member, from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) bloc, Hifidar Ahmed, announced on Friday that the Finance Committee in the Iraqi Parliament of the regional government delegation delivered 13 questions, most notably the sale of crude oil, and the financial revenues generated from it, with the aim of stabilizing Kurdistan’s share in the budget for 2021.

Ahmed said in a post today, that the Kurdistan Regional Government delegation ended its third visit to Baghdad with the aim of stabilizing the region’s share in the general budget, although he did not meet with Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi, explaining that the first visit reached an agreement with the federal government to hand over 250 A thousand barrels of crude oil per day in exchange for Baghdad granting 12.67% of the budget to Kurdistan after deducting sovereign and governance expenditures, and this is what has been confirmed in the draft general budget law.

He noted that Baghdad informed the Kurdistan Region recently and publicly that the issue of delivering (250 thousand barrels of crude oil per day to SOMO) has ended, and that the region has two options, the first of which is to deliver all of Kurdistan’s oil to Baghdad, and the second is to hand over all the financial revenues generated from the sale of oil .

Ahmed continued by saying that on the second visit of the regional government delegation to Baghdad, and when it met with the Finance Committee in the Iraqi Parliament, the latter posed 13 questions to the delegation and asked it to answer them, revealing 9 questions that are the most prominent, namely:

1- Does the Kurdistan Regional Government delegation have the authority to make decisions?

2-How much is the internal revenue of the Kurdistan Region?

3- What is the price that the region adopts for selling its oil?

4- The mechanism followed by the Kurdistan Region in concluding oil contracts?

5- What are the loan amounts owed by the region? Who are the bodies that granted these loans?

6- Does the Financial Supervision Bureau have a role in supervising and following up oil contracts?

7- Does Kurdistan Region have its own budget?

8- If the Kurdistan Region does not have a budget, what is the mechanism used for disbursing its revenues?

9-How many employees, retirees, and those who earn salaries in general in the Kurdistan Region?

The leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Hoshyar Zebari, confirmed on Thursday that the constitution does not allow the Iraqi parliament to manipulate the federal financial budget or make a change to its formula.

Zebari said, “There must be an end to parliament, because our system is a single, independent and fully sovereign federal state. The system of government is republican, representative (parliamentary), and democratic, and this constitution guarantees the unity of Iraq.

He continued by saying, “The representatives cannot tamper with the budget on their own whim through their political and sectarian affiliations, and justice and the rights of all components must be fulfilled without exclusionary and racist policies if we want to build a civil and just state based on citizenship and participation, and stop you playing on the strings of sectarianism and racism.” Hate and exclusion. ”

The governments of Baghdad and Erbil reached an agreement to hand over the region’s revenues of 250 thousand barrels per day and half of the other revenues from border crossings and others, in exchange for a share estimated at 12.6 percent of the budget in addition to the payment of the salaries of the Peshmerga forces.

The agreement was included in the draft budget approved by the Iraqi government and sent to Parliament for approval, but the regional government delegation returned to Baghdad again to persuade the political blocs in Parliament to pass the region’s share.

The regional government says it exports 250 thousand barrels per day of oil produced from its fields, and the remainder goes to domestic consumption, which makes it unable to meet the new demands of the Shiite blocs, which could lead to the collapse of the talks.

The management of oil wealth and the distribution of its revenues are among the most prominent controversial issues pending between Baghdad and Erbil for many years. Each party accuses the other of violating the constitution.