Federal government should cooperate with KRG to draft a budget bill: deputy speaker

Shafaq News/ Drafting the 2023 federal budget bill in coordination with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) might spare the legislative body unwanted problems that might impede its passing, the second deputy speaker of the Iraqi parliament, Shakhwan Abdullah, said on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters after an ordinary session in the parliament today, Abdullah said, "I hope we do not witness the past years' scenarios with the budget bill this year."

"Our recommendation to the federal government is drafting the bill in cooperation with the Kurdistan Regional Government to reduce the differences that might emerge during its passing," he said.

Under the Iraqi constitution, the region is entitled to a portion of the national budget. But the arrangement collapsed in 2014 when the Kurds seized control of oilfields in the Kurdish-majority governorate of Kirkuk from ISIS and began selling crude from there independently.

In 2018, Iraqi forces captured Kirkuk and other disputed territories. Baghdad later resumed some budget payments, but they have been sporadic. So far this year, it has sent only two payments of 200 billion Iraqi dinars ($137 million).