55 MPs push for Electricity Minister’s interrogation amid corruption claims

Shafaq News/ Iraqi Parliament members have gathered 55 signatures to interrogate the Minister of Electricity Ziyad Ali Fadhel over 51 corruption files at the Ministry and its affiliates, according to parliamentary statements.

Representative Zuhair Al-Fatlawi told Shafaq News Agency, “Acting Speaker Mohsen Al-Mandalawi rejected the letter of signatures and is facing media pressure. If the request to question the Minister of Electricity is ignored, we will escalate the issue to the Federal Court.”

“Political blocs are opposing the interrogation of the Minister of Electricity, affiliated with the National Approach Bloc. There is also pressure on Al-Mandalawi to prevent the interrogation from proceeding in the House of Representatives. Despite this, efforts are advancing with the technical inquiry,” he added.

Notably, the Iraqi electrical industry faces major issues in generation, transmission, and distribution. Despite over $60 billion spent by previous governments, the sector's performance remains inadequate, indicating “mismanagement and possibly unprofessional oversight, compounded by widespread corruption,” according to specialists.