Sunni bloc lobbies for prompt budget advancement in the absence of parliament speaker

Shafaq News/ Al-Azm Coalition on Friday urged a swift progression of the budget law to the parliament's finance committee for a thorough examination and prompt inclusion in the parliament's agenda, highlighting the legislation's paramount importance and its far-reaching economic, administrative, and social implications for the Iraqi people.

The Coalition asserted, "We implore the First Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives to expedite the transfer of the general budget law from the parliament's presidency to the finance committee in order to analyze, and subsequently include, it on the assembly's agenda at the earliest opportunity."

The statement further elaborated on the law's crucial significance and sensitivity, as it directly pertains to the livelihood of the Iraqi people and the manifold economic, administrative, and social ramifications stemming from its ratification.

Concurrently, Mohammed Saadoun al-Sayhood, a member of the State of Law bloc, beseeched all political factions to exhibit "unwavering national responsibility towards the citizens and their interests, which are inherently linked to the integration of the federal budget within the most critical tasks assigned to the House of Representatives, its presidency, and its members."

In today's statement, al-Sayhood elucidated that "the government's initiative to present a judicious budget for the subsequent three years constitutes a rectifying measure for the government's operations, aiming to deliver optimal, efficacious, and advantageous services to governmental institutions and the interests of both Iraq and its citizens."

He added that the procrastination in budget approval is detrimental to all parties, particularly in light of the ongoing comprehensive government reform endeavors across administrative, financial, and service sectors.

The parliamentarian exhorted all parties to eschew political discord and partisan interests, dismissing the obstruction of the budget's endorsement as an act of "political chicanery."

The Iraqi Speaker of the House, Mohammed Al-Halbousi, granted himself a 15-day leave commencing on April 3rd. In his stead, the first deputy speaker will oversee the council sessions.

On Monday, March 13th, the Iraqi Council of Ministers sanctioned the budget law project for the years 2023, 2024, and 2025 and subsequently referred it to the House of Representatives. The most recent budget ratified in Iraq dates back to April 2021. However, none were adopted in 2022 due to the prevailing political turbulence that immobilized the nation for an entire year following the recent legislative elections.