Parliament is going to host the Prime Minister and discuss reducing budget amounts

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[size=52]Parliament is going to host the Prime Minister and discuss reducing budget amounts[/size]

[size=45]Baghdad / Firas Adnan[/size]
[size=45]Yesterday, Saturday, deputies affirmed their intention to host Prime Minister Mohamed Shia Al-Sudani in Parliament to discuss the budget, stressing that extensive amendments will be made to the government draft in order to reduce public spending, and to enact a law for one year only, noting that they do not have the right to add financial burdens. Otherwise, their procedures will be subject to appeal before the Federal Supreme Court.[/size]
[size=45]And a statement by the House of Representatives had stated, “The Council finished the first reading of the draft federal budget law for the Republic of Iraq for the fiscal years (2025, 2024, 2023), which was submitted by the Finance and Strategic Planning Committees and the Federal Service.”[/size]
[size=45]The statement added, "Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Muhammad al-Mandalawi, who chaired the first reading session, called for expediting the preparation of a report for the draft budget law and for its second reading, as it affects the needs of citizens and for the implementation of service and investment projects."[/size]
[size=45]Representative Ali Al-Bandawi said, “Parliament finished last Wednesday the first reading of the budget bill, amid a large parliamentary presence that reflects the interest of the legislative authority in this law, which was placed among the priorities of the government plan.”[/size]
[size=45]And he continued with the important legislation that the Iraqis await from Bandawi, that “the budget is prepared in order for the government to proceed with its approach.”[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out, "The deputies made some observations that will be discussed during the second reading and the discussions that are taking place this week."[/size]
[size=45]And Al-Bindawi indicated that “the most prominent observation that was recorded related to the large size of the budget deficit, which amounts to 64 trillion dinars, and other matters that will be requested from the government through the Finance Committee.”[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out, "The government wants the budget to be for three years, and the prevailing opinion in parliament is that it be passed for one year only, and that a project can be submitted for the next year during the month of October."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Bandawi stressed that "the parliament's approach is based on logical foundations, given the high percentage of deficit and the inability to cover it for the next two years."[/size]
[size=45]He stressed, "The Finance Committee will have direct meetings with Prime Minister Muhammad al-Sudani to discuss the budget, because everyone understands the need for this file to be resolved as soon as possible."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Bandawi noted that "Parliament is heading to host Al-Sudani in a session to answer some paragraphs related to the budget in order to make the appropriate amendments."[/size]
[size=45]And he stated, “The requests of the representatives can be met in coordination and cooperation with the government, and we are optimistic about the possibility of transferring between the exchange chapters or reducing some of them.”[/size]
[size=45]Al-Bandawi concluded, "All indications indicate that approval of the budget will take place within a time limit that does not exceed a month."[/size]
[size=45]For his part, Representative Moeen Al-Kadhimi stated, "The Finance Committee has now entered full time to study the budget law after Parliament completed its first reading last week."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Kazemi added, "The discussions will result in some amendments, especially in terms of reducing public spending in order to reduce the deficit rate."[/size]
[size=45]And he stated, “All committees and deputies have notes that will be submitted to the Finance Committee for discussion.”[/size]
[size=45]Al-Kazemi confirmed, "The committee will submit its report with the proposed amendments to the Presidency of Parliament in order to set a date for the second reading."[/size]
[size=45]He noted, "The law will then be ready for voting, and we look forward to completing this file as soon as possible, no later than next month."[/size]
[size=45]And Al-Kazemi concluded, "Parliament welcomes the hosting of Al-Sudani, who expressed his willingness to attend and answer all inquiries submitted by the representatives."[/size]
[size=45]In addition, Representative Jamal Cougar confirms that “the parliament’s authority regarding the budget does not allow it to add new amounts, and therefore its tasks will be limited to transfers and reductions.”[/size]
[size=45]And Cougar continued, “Parliament has no jurisdiction over any procedure that would burden the budget with additional financial burdens, so our terms of reference with this law are precise and limited, and otherwise it will be subject to appeal before the Federal Supreme Court by the government.”[/size]
[size=45]And he stressed, “The date for the second reading of the law has not been set, because the project entered the field of discussions within the Finance Committee.”[/size]
[size=45]Cougar explained, "Last Wednesday's session witnessed the presentation of the articles of the law and the recording of some observations that the deputies talked about, and requests by official books to the office of the Speaker of Parliament."[/size]
[size=45]He pointed out, "This law will ultimately be governed by the political agreement concluded between the State Administration Alliance, which has the most seats."[/size]
[size=45]Cougar does not expect that "discussions on the budget will take more time, with a real desire to speed up the vote on the law and its entry into force."[/size]
[size=45]And the Council of Ministers had voted earlier on the draft budget law for three years, with the highest amount, amounting to 200 trillion dinars, of which 75% was allocated to the operational side, and the remaining to the investment side, and asked Parliament not to make amendments to it, especially in terms of its validity period, expressing Al-Sudani's willingness to attend and discuss all inquiries and answer them.[/size]
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