Friday, February 18th 2011
Meeting to decide on budget bill before Sunday finalizing
Baghdad, Iraqi lawmakers said Thursday the Iraqi 2011 budget bill will be finalized Sunday after a Friday meeting between the related bodies settles the issues over the bill.
Karima Dawud, a lawmaker from the al-Iraqiya bloc told AKnews “for the interest of the Iraqi public” parliament decided to ratify the 2011 budget bill Sunday.
The government formation crisis had already delayed the budget but with almost two-month debate of the lawmaker, the bill was further delayed. After passing the first reading, the Kurdish side demanded amendment. The amended version reached parliament Feb.6.
Abbas Bayati from the Sate of Law Coalition (SLC) said the parliament speaker, his two deputies and the parliamentary committees of legal, finance and investment as well as the bloc leaders will meet Friday to settle the difference over the budget bill to speed up the procedures for its ratification.
Kurds blame the Iraqi council of ministers for cuts in the Kurdistan share of 17% from the Iraqi total budget. Some 150 lawmakers have threatened if 15% of the budget is not allocated specifically to the Iraqi public they won’t vote to the bill. Theses are not but two examples of a heap of disputes. The question is whether the Friday meeting in miniature can settle all these arguments or the squabble would last further.
The Iraqi budget for 2011 is estimated to be $81.3 billion up from $71 billion in 2010.
While the lawmakers are scheduling and rescheduling the budget bill ratification, sings of rising public discontent is becoming more and more apparent with the sporadic but violent demonstrations in protest to the lack of services and improved living conditions.
http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/2/219023/
Meeting to decide on budget bill before Sunday finalizing
Baghdad, Iraqi lawmakers said Thursday the Iraqi 2011 budget bill will be finalized Sunday after a Friday meeting between the related bodies settles the issues over the bill.
Karima Dawud, a lawmaker from the al-Iraqiya bloc told AKnews “for the interest of the Iraqi public” parliament decided to ratify the 2011 budget bill Sunday.
The government formation crisis had already delayed the budget but with almost two-month debate of the lawmaker, the bill was further delayed. After passing the first reading, the Kurdish side demanded amendment. The amended version reached parliament Feb.6.
Abbas Bayati from the Sate of Law Coalition (SLC) said the parliament speaker, his two deputies and the parliamentary committees of legal, finance and investment as well as the bloc leaders will meet Friday to settle the difference over the budget bill to speed up the procedures for its ratification.
Kurds blame the Iraqi council of ministers for cuts in the Kurdistan share of 17% from the Iraqi total budget. Some 150 lawmakers have threatened if 15% of the budget is not allocated specifically to the Iraqi public they won’t vote to the bill. Theses are not but two examples of a heap of disputes. The question is whether the Friday meeting in miniature can settle all these arguments or the squabble would last further.
The Iraqi budget for 2011 is estimated to be $81.3 billion up from $71 billion in 2010.
While the lawmakers are scheduling and rescheduling the budget bill ratification, sings of rising public discontent is becoming more and more apparent with the sporadic but violent demonstrations in protest to the lack of services and improved living conditions.
http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/2/219023/
