TNT:

Tishwash: Koger: The budget schedules have not reached us yet, and we will start the sessions as soon as they arrive.

Jamal Kojer, a member of the Parliamentary Finance Committee, explained today, Saturday, that the budget schedules have not reached the Finance Committee yet, and we have not been informed of the date of sending them to the House of Representatives.

Kocher added in his statement to {Euphrates News} Agency, "Once the schedules reach the committee, they will be announced and the sessions for the first reading will begin if they include texts. If the schedules are devoid of texts, the committee will begin reading the schedules only."

He stressed that "the committee will work to prevent tampering with the schedules, as happened previously." link

Tishwash: The Trade Bank of Iraq (TBI) announced today, Saturday, a plan to open a number of new branches.

The media advisor of the Trade Bank of Iraq (TBI), Aqeel Al-Shuwaili, said that “the plan included opening an office for the bank in SOMO Oil Marketing Company in Rusafa and a cash deposit office in Karkh in the Red Crescent Society in Al-Mansour area, as well as opening a branch in Karkh in 14 Ramadan Street, in addition to opening a branch in Karkh in Al-Saydiyah area, in addition to opening a branch in the governorate center in Samawah in Al-Baraka Mall.

The statement indicated that “the plan also included preparing to open other new branches, namely the Ziona branch in Rusafa, the Tikrit branch in Salah al-Din Governorate, a branch in Basra Governorate, and the Diwaniyah branch in Qadisiyah Governorate.” link

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Tishwash: The European Union organizes a workshop in Basra on central administration and the wealth distribution system

The European Union organized a workshop in Basra on central administration and the wealth distribution system.

Basra Governor Asaad Al-Eidani stressed during the workshop that the distribution of wealth has limitations for the poorest areas as well as areas with high population density, in addition to areas that were damaged by the wars that Iraq witnessed.

He added that Basra has three resources for distributing wealth in the budget, which are: regional development, border crossing revenues, and petrodollars. Basra may not be given its full revenues, which are according to the constitution, due to the financial situation and challenges facing the country. He pointed out that during the past two years there are debts owed to the governorate that must be given those entitlements.

Al-Eidani explained that "the infrastructure projects being implemented in the province have contributed significantly to improving the economic situation in various housing units, noting that house prices in the province have witnessed a noticeable doubling during the past few years, reaching ten times their previous value.

Al-Eidani pointed out that these improvements reflect the impact of development projects on improving the standard of living and enhancing the value of real estate assets in Basra." link

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Tishwash: MEPS24: US Consul in Erbil highlights promising economic opportunities for Iraq

On Saturday, Steven Bitner, the US Consul General in Erbil, spoke about the "economic opportunities" that will bring significant benefits to both Iraq and the United States.

During a panel discussion at the Middle East Peace and Security Forum (MEPS24) at the American University in Duhok, the Kurdistan Region, Bitner stated that "the strategic agreement between the two countries encompasses various aspects, including economic, cultural, health, and environmental cooperation, as well as strengthening mutual relations."

"For the past twenty years, security and political concerns have dominated the relationship between the United States and Iraq. However, recent efforts have focused on economic opportunities that will benefit both countries," he noted.

Notably, MEPS24 features participation from the President of Iraq, the Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, the President of the Kurdistan Region, and numerous local, Arab, and international officials.

Organizers of the two-day forum emphasize that it includes panel discussions, seminars, and workshops on the situation in the Middle East and the world. "The forum aims to build bridges of cooperation between participating countries, discuss problems and solutions, and explore the role of society in the Middle East." link

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