Thursday, March 10th 2011
Iraqi parliament hosts Maliki to discuss public protests
Baghdad, A deputy from the National Coalition (NC) said on Thursday that parliament will host the Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and his cabinet to discuss the recent wave of public demonstrations and the government's plans to improve public services.
Saad al-Muttalibi told AKnews that parliament wants to examine the government's plans to provide services in the immediate future, a key point of protest in the rallies.
A fresh wave of demonstrations spread across the country on Friday over the poor provision of public services, particularly electricity distribution, and administrative and financial corruption in state departments, despite the Iraqi government’s announcement of a reform package to calm the situation.
“Maliki will demand at today's meeting the assembled deputies to pass important laws to improve development and provide services,” Muttalibi said, "the Iraqi parliament has not yet managed to pass the laws”.
Muttalibi went on to say that the Prime Minister is expected to announce the candidates for the three unallocated security ministries in today’s session in order for parliament to vote on them though, “it is unlikely that the issue will be resolved the during today's meeting without political consensus”.
Over the past month, hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have taken to the streets in mass public rallies across the country to express their dissatisfaction with the current government and to demand concrete reforms.
The wave of demonstrations peaked on February 25 when several Iraqi cities were besieged by citizens protesting against shortages of electricity, administrative and financial corruption in state departments, the failure of the food rationing system and high unemployment.
In what was dubbed nationally as the ‘day of rage’ the rallies became less peaceful in several cities, notably in Mosul where protestors set fire to the Nineveh provincial government headquarters and in Basra where the governorate was stormed.
Violent clashes between security forces and the public were also reported in Baghdad, Kirkuk and Salahadin in which a total of 12 people were left dead and dozens more wounded.
In response to the public protests, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki acknowledged last week the weakness of the ministerial formation saying it “does not meet its aspirations” and gave all ministries and parliamentary bodies 100 days to “shape up or face changes”.
Maliki also announced a package of reforms to curb corruption and create 280,000 state department jobs.
http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/4/224161/
Iraqi parliament hosts Maliki to discuss public protests
Baghdad, A deputy from the National Coalition (NC) said on Thursday that parliament will host the Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and his cabinet to discuss the recent wave of public demonstrations and the government's plans to improve public services.
Saad al-Muttalibi told AKnews that parliament wants to examine the government's plans to provide services in the immediate future, a key point of protest in the rallies.
A fresh wave of demonstrations spread across the country on Friday over the poor provision of public services, particularly electricity distribution, and administrative and financial corruption in state departments, despite the Iraqi government’s announcement of a reform package to calm the situation.
“Maliki will demand at today's meeting the assembled deputies to pass important laws to improve development and provide services,” Muttalibi said, "the Iraqi parliament has not yet managed to pass the laws”.
Muttalibi went on to say that the Prime Minister is expected to announce the candidates for the three unallocated security ministries in today’s session in order for parliament to vote on them though, “it is unlikely that the issue will be resolved the during today's meeting without political consensus”.
Over the past month, hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have taken to the streets in mass public rallies across the country to express their dissatisfaction with the current government and to demand concrete reforms.
The wave of demonstrations peaked on February 25 when several Iraqi cities were besieged by citizens protesting against shortages of electricity, administrative and financial corruption in state departments, the failure of the food rationing system and high unemployment.
In what was dubbed nationally as the ‘day of rage’ the rallies became less peaceful in several cities, notably in Mosul where protestors set fire to the Nineveh provincial government headquarters and in Basra where the governorate was stormed.
Violent clashes between security forces and the public were also reported in Baghdad, Kirkuk and Salahadin in which a total of 12 people were left dead and dozens more wounded.
In response to the public protests, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki acknowledged last week the weakness of the ministerial formation saying it “does not meet its aspirations” and gave all ministries and parliamentary bodies 100 days to “shape up or face changes”.
Maliki also announced a package of reforms to curb corruption and create 280,000 state department jobs.
http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/4/224161/
