KTFA Members "Wednesday News" 6-17-2020
KTFA:
Samson: Deputies expected a comprehensive and final agreement between Baghdad and Erbil this week
14th June 2020
The decision of the Parliamentary Finance Committee, Ahmed Al-Saffar, revealed today, Sunday, that a delegation from the Kurdistan region will visit Baghdad this week, noting that "the negotiating paper includes discussion on all outstanding issues as the two parties work hard to conclude a final and comprehensive settlement."
Al-Saffar said in a televised statement, "The date of the delegation's visit is related to the government's decision, but it is assumed that the visit will take place during this week, because this last opportunity and there are only 8 days left from the end of the previously scheduled date to reach an agreement, indicating that the meetings will be held with the ministries of finance and planning. And oil to resolve differences under one package."
He explained: "In our last meeting with the Ministers of Finance and Planning and the Central Bank during their hosting in Parliament last Wednesday, they asked the House of Representatives to agree to foreign and domestic borrowing, and when I asked about the share of the Kurdistan region, the response was that this matter does not include Kurdistan, and that it must be addressed through Concluding a separate agreement, and indicated that the parties prepared their papers and will meet during this week to reach the agreement, and they were optimistic about the possibility of reaching an agreement.
He continued that the negotiating paper includes all areas, including oil, employees, customs, issues mentioned in the constitution and the Financial Management Law No. 6 of 2019, to determine the competence of each party, stating: “If the debts in each side are calculated in the interest of the other, then this will create a problem and will not lead us to any As a result, so they decided not to go back, but to start again, and the two parties are working hard to conclude a final and comprehensive settlement."
He stressed that "these meetings will not be the first of its kind. Rather, since the beginning of the formation of the government, the head of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Masroor Barzani, visited Baghdad and expressed his readiness to solve the differences. The delegation also visited the Iraqi capital several times, and there reached very good agreements signed by the two parties but The resignation of the previous government and the outbreak of protests prevented its implementation, "explaining: "
Therefore, the delegations of Baghdad and Erbil will meet this week to conclude the final agreement, given that the Iraqi government asked the Kurdistan Regional Government to provide some data and information, which was approved by the Kurdistan Region, and I believe that this upcoming visit is sufficient to reach a final result."
In response to a question about the date of sending the Kurdistan region's share of the budget, Al-Saffar stated that "Iraq is currently unable to pay the salaries of its employees, as the operating expense is 6 trillion and 500 billion, while the current revenues do not exceed 2 trillion and 500 billion, meaning that the deficit reaches 4 trillion." LINK
MilitiaMan: This might be of some encouragement. 2019 FML is something to have close to the chest. They are keeping this tight! imo It is what we are all waiting on .. As is everyone in Iraq and around the world.. imo ~ MM
Don961: Video .. Shocking statement from Al-Kazemi’s advisor: There is only 300 million dollars in the Iraqi state’s treasury
2020-06-17
Yassin Iraq: Baghdad
Hisham Dawood, adviser to the Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kazemi, said that the new government received from the previous government of Adel Abdul-Mahdi an empty treasury with only $ 300 million in it.
"Adel Abdel Mahdi and his government have left the state treasury in this vacuum, and we are facing a country that needs everything and has a grave global epidemic, and we have many requirements and are fighting a war against terrorism," Dawood said in a recorded tape from a press conference, shared with "Yass Iraq".
My discontent
Elites and political experts close to the ruling administration in Iraq commented on the file handing over the previous government of Abdul-Mahdi the treasury of the empty state to Al-Kazemi.
The political analyst, Ihsan al-Shammari, said in a tweet shared with “Yassin Iraq” that “Adel Abdel Mahdi, the accomplished (empty treasury), is the only one who bears what the financial situation has reached at the present time.”
As for the former close associate of the Abdul-Mahdi government and later departed from it, Laith Shbar, in a tweet addressed by Al-Kadhimi, confirmed, “Your predecessor gave you an empty treasury and rewarded him with praise and a huge pension and left him to flee to Erbil instead of saying goodbye to him and his associates because of the crimes he committed and mismanagement For the state .. and the loss of Iraqi money. link
************
Samson: Within 15 days, thousands of accused and wanted persons were arrested in Rusafa
17th June 2020
Today, Wednesday, the Baghdad Police Command announced a bi-monthly tally of its activities within the Rusafa police sector, while referring to the arrest of thousands of accused and wanted persons.
"During the past 15 days, Baghdad police station in Rusafa arrested 5327 accused according to various legal articles, as well as arrested 71 wanted persons according to Article 406 killed," Major Director of Relations and Media flags Major Aziz Nasser said in a statement.
She added, "The detachments also arrested a group of defendants who attempted the so-called tribal deck, as well as a group of those accused of terrorism cases." LINK
Samson: Experts Discuss IBBC's 'Iraq 2020: a Country at the Crossroads'
17th June 2020
IBBC Advisory Council's discussion goes public on the white paper 'Iraq 2020: a country at the crossroads.'
Today over 300 people signed up the IBBC Advisory Council's public discussion on the white paper - Iraq 2020: a country at the crossroads, sponsored by Iraq Business News ( IBBC media partner) and in conjunction with Chatham House and IRIS at AUIS.
With a full panel of 6 advisors and commentators, including Ms Maya Gebeily of Agence-France Presse, Mr Ahmed Tabaqchali of IRIS at AUIS, and the key advisory panel members led by Professor Frank Gunter of Leigh University, Dr Renad Mansour, Fellow at Chatham House, Mr Hani Akkawi of CCC and Professor Mohammed Al-Uzri, University of Leicester University. Mr Christophe Michels, MD of IBBC chaired the discussion.
The key points were delivered by Professor Gunter, including, the necessity to provide:
1. Strong cross-party political support to GOI for its initiatives;
2. Transparency to build support and trust among the people and to stop corruption up and down the system.
3. GOI acceptance of the limits of its ability to control and centralise economic activity - and afford to make space for the Private sector.
Dr Mansour made critical points about the importance of the political economy and the requirement to listen and understand the needs of the protestors and conversely the protestors ability and requirements of government to make changes, along with the difficulty in enacting reforms while the public sector has too much invested in its continuation.
Mr Hani Akkawi, made an unmissable point about the opportunity for areas of industry to be returned to the private sectors, such as electricity, water, fertiliser and transport, that would not only raise finance, but help efficiency and productivity.
Underpinning the report are 5 key action points and a further 38 recommendations that the GoI may be able to make to address the economic crisis that faces the country, including; business deregulation, inclusion of the informal business sector into legal acceptance, ending subsidies on electricity and water production, an improved banking system with credit for private sector businesses, an anti-corruption drive and dealing with COVID-19 without jeopardising the private sector.
1.5hr video in English - Please see the full webinar here
Click below to read the full paper: