The budget parties are preparing for a new round of negotiations

[size=52]The budget parties are preparing for a new round of negotiations[/size]

[size=45]Baghdad / Muhammad Sabah - Firas Adnan[/size]
[size=45]It is hoped that a new round of negotiations between the Shiite forces and a delegation from the Kurdistan region will begin at the end of this week, in preparation for the presentation of the draft federal budget bill to vote next Saturday.[/size]
[size=45]Those parties are trying to settle their differences, which revolve around the settlement of financial dues between the two parties, and the mechanism for exporting oil.[/size]
[size=45]The recent agreement between the Kurdistan region’s delegation and the Shiite parties in parliament included the region’s delivery of 460,000 barrels of oil per day to the National Marketing Company (SOMO), and then retrieving 30,000 barrels to cover domestic consumption and electricity production, as well as 180,000 barrels to pay production and export costs, in addition to 20 One thousand barrels as petrodollars dues for the benefit of the region.[/size]
[size=45]Nada Shaker, a member of the Economy and Investment Committee in the House of Representatives, confirms that “the postponement of the vote on the draft federal budget law for 2021 until next week, due to differences between the delegation of the Kurdistan region and the political blocs and forces,” pointing out that the problem remained the same, and revolves around determining a share The region and the export of quantities of oil, money, dues and debts accumulated on both sides. The Presidency of the Council of Representatives decided to postpone the vote on the budget law until next Saturday after the collapse of the initial agreement announced on Friday between the Shiite parties and the Kurdistan region delegation regarding the passage of the draft budget. The differences between the political parties revolve around the text of the oil agreement concluded between the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government last December, included in Article 11 of the draft federal budget bill.[/size]
[size=45]Shaker adds that "a delegation from the Kurdistan region will arrive in Baghdad before the voting session on the budget in order to complete its dialogues with the parliamentary blocs in order to pass the budget by political consensus," expecting the two parties to reach an agreement on the differences. For his part, Jassim Al-Bakhati, a deputy from the Parliamentary Wisdom Bloc, confirms that "the political blocs have agreed to continue negotiations with the Kurdish forces until an agreement is reached to end all disputes that hinder the passage of the budget law in Parliament." The Shiite forces propose to abolish the first paragraph of Article (11) that calculates the dues of the Kurdistan region for the previous years from 2014 to 2019 despite not handing over the oil and non-oil revenues and obligating the region to hand over 460 thousand barrels per day to the SOMO company, and in the case of non-commitment of the region, the expenses of the region are not reimbursed. The violator of this text bears legal responsibility.[/size]
[size=45]However, the Kurdish forces reject this proposal and insist on the need to adhere to the oil agreement signed with the government, which provides for the delivery of 250,000 barrels and fixing it in the budget with the settlement of the money owed by the government from 2014 until 2019.[/size]
[size=45]Al-Bakhati continues that "there are fragile paragraphs in the budget that need review and agreement, which concern the exchange rate of the dollar," noting that the new price of the dollar was met with objections by the Iraqi street and even the majority of political forces.[/size]
[size=45]He points out that "there are political blocs demanding to reduce the price of the dollar from 1450 dinars, to less than that, in order not to harm citizens." It is expected that the Minister of Finance and the blocks objecting to the selling price of the dollar reached an agreement to reduce the price of the currency to 135.[/size]
[size=45]The Al-Fateh Parliamentary Bloc called on the government to return the exchange rate to the old price of 1190 dinars, stressing that the only victim from the current price is the simple and poor citizen, and as for those who demand to raise the price, he is the beneficiary at the expense of the sustenance of the poor.[/size]
[size=45]For its part, the Finance Committee in the House of Representatives refuses to hold it responsible for taking a decision to reduce the exchange rate of the dollar, and confirms that it is within the jurisdiction of the Central Bank, warning against taking such a step. Because it will be subject to appeal and it has been decided to increase the deficit by 20 trillion dinars, in addition to that it requires a complete review of the budget bill, indicating that relying on the rise in oil prices is not correct at the present time, and cannot be taken into account before the lapse of six months of stability.[/size]
[size=45]"The exchange rate of the dollar has been set in the draft budget at an amount of 1450 Iraqi dinars, and it cannot be undone."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Saffar added, "Determining the exchange rate is the exclusive authority of the Central Bank of Iraq in accordance with the constitution and legislation in force, and the House of Representatives has no right to intervene in monetary policy." He pointed out that "the central bank is solely responsible for determining the monetary mass, the interest rate, the national currency, and other matters related to this issue."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Saffar stressed that "the House of Representatives has its powers known in the budget law, which is reduction and transfer, and it has no financial burden on the government without consulting with it."[/size]
[size=45]And, "the signatures campaign that is conducted continuously by MPs for the purpose of raising the issue and discussing it, I find that, I believe, it is not correct. Rather, it constitutes an infringement of the powers of the Central Bank."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Saffar believes, "the parliamentary move was supposed to take place before the exchange rate was officially changed, especially since the public opinion knew what the Central Bank intends to take early."[/size]
[size=45]He stressed, "The current price was set in coordination with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, and through an agreement with the Ministry of Finance, where the budget was built on it."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Saffar went on to say that "making a parliamentary decision to change the price will face difficulty, even as the pressure of expenditures and the development of new materials in this regard will be subject to cancellation after being challenged before the Federal Supreme Court."[/size]
[size=45]For his part, a member of the committee, Representative Jamal Cougar, said, "The House of Representatives cannot restore the exchange rate to its previous position, but we do not want the street to understand that we are against the devaluation of the dollar compared to the Iraqi dinar."[/size]
[size=45]And Cougar continued, in a statement to (the extent), that "Parliament can not, no matter how many signatories to the reduction, to override its powers and override the decisions of the Central Bank."[/size]
[size=45]He explained, "Taking an unconstitutional decision to return the exchange rate, and accepting it from the relevant authorities, means that we decide to increase the deficit of 22 trillion dinars, against the improvement of the economic situation."[/size]
[size=45]Cougar stressed, "Iraq does not have the resources to cover the new deficit expenditures, especially since the total cash reserves present at the Central Bank at the present time is $ 20 billion, and we have been informed that it cannot help us with an amount of more than $ 8 billion."[/size]
[size=45]He continues, "The budget has been designed and distributed in terms of revenues and expenditures, on the basis of the current exchange rate, and changing it means a complete restructuring of the law."[/size]
[size=45]Cougar added, "The defenders of the idea of ​​returning the exchange rate are citing the rise in the oil market, and this is misplaced dependence, especially at the present time because we are not safe from a decline at any moment."[/size]
[size=45]He stated, "The current rise in the price of oil came after two decreases in quantities, the first of which was the outcome of the OPEC and (OPEC Plus) agreement of reducing each country by (20-22)%."[/size]
[size=45]Cougar said, "Iraq was to export 4 million and 300 thousand barrels, but according to the international agreement, the budget stipulated that the amount of exports is 3 million and 250 thousand barrels."[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out, "The second decrease in quantities is a decision that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has taken voluntarily by one million barrels, and when it retracts its decision, oil prices will decrease again."[/size]
[size=45]Cougar concluded, "Going to reduce the exchange rate must be preceded by stability in the oil market price, as it is now, for a period of not less than six months in order for us to have the financial capabilities through which we can deal with the deficit.[/size]
[size=45][You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]