ERBIL — Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Monday received Iraqi Minister of Planning Mohammad Tamim to highlight regional developments, including the growing need to pass the federal budget.
“During the meeting, we discussed the general situation in Iraq, and highlighted the imperative to pass the federal budget bill in the national assembly as quickly as possible,” read a statement released by the Kurdish leader today.
The prime minister hoped that the passage of the federal budget bill will lead to the resolution of other problems between Erbil and Baghdad within the framework of the country’s constitution.
“We also stressed the need to implement all the agreements which underlie the federal government’s agenda,” he added.
A comprehensive agreement among several political parties led to the formation of this cabinet of the federal government of Iraq after months of negotiations in the aftermath of the country’s parliamentary elections in October 2021.
The agreement entails a commitment on the part of Erbil and Baghdad to adress outstanding problems between the two, including collaboration on drafting a hydrocarbons law and fair allocations of the federal budget to the Kurdistan Region.
The federal government of Iraq approved the budget bill in March, which will cover expenditure for the years 2023-2025. The budget totals nearly 200 trillion dinars, with12.67 percent of the overall budget being allocated to the Kurdistan Region, which is expected to share revenues from crude sales with Baghdad in return.
The budget had been in the making for the past several months, and is long overdue because of the political impasse that delayed government formation following parliamentary elections in the country.
Source: basnews