Neçirvan Barzani urges Baghdad to guarantee Kurdistan Region's budget share
Kurdistan Region President Neçirvan Barzani said Iraq's federal government must fully guarantee the Kurdistan Region's share while drafting its budget bill. He said technical committees beginning talks is not enough on its own.
Kurdistan Region President Neçirvan Barzani spoke to reporters in Erbil after attending a condolence ceremony for Kemal Şakir, former secretary of the Kurdistan Communist Party.
According to Rûdaw, Barzani called Iraq's budget bill a significant piece of legislation. He said the federal government must fully guarantee the Kurdistan Region's share as it drafts the bill. Barzani stressed that technical committees starting talks is not enough on its own — serious coordination with Kurdistan Region institutions is required.
"The budget law is extremely important"
Discussing Iraq's budget bill and the Kurdistan Region's financial rights, Barzani said: "It is essential that the budget issue be handled in full coordination and cooperation with the Kurdistan Region, and Baghdad must take this into account. The budget law is extremely important, and it needs to be seriously negotiated with the Kurdistan Region."
Technical committees have started talks
Barzani also addressed work underway at the technical level. "Technical committees have now started talks, but that alone is not enough. Our demand is that Baghdad fully guarantee the Kurdistan Region's share in the budget law, and that the bill be sent to the Iraqi Parliament in cooperation and coordination with the Kurdistan Region's relevant institutions," he said.
KDP-PUK talks
Barzani also touched on relations between political parties, particularly the dialogue between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).
Noting the importance of efforts to help political parties reach positive outcomes through consensus, Barzani said: "There is no doubt that the efforts made for the political sides to reach a good outcome through dialogue are a very positive development."
Barzani said contacts between the two parties are continuing. "The KDP and the PUK are holding regular meetings. We hope these meetings, together with all components, will produce a result that benefits the whole Kurdistan Region," he said.
Source: Rûdaw