Latest news with #HusseinMunis
Shafaq News
9 hours ago
- Business
- Shafaq News
Iraqi government sued over 2025 budget delay
Shafaq News/ A parliamentary lawsuit has been filed against the Iraqi government for failing to submit the 2025 budget tables, an MP revealed on Monday, citing constitutional and legal violations that have disrupted public spending. MP Hadi al-Salami explained that the Finance Ministry has failed to pay monthly stipends of 60,000 dinars ($46) to residents of state-run senior care homes, accusing both the ministry and the Council of Ministers of corruption and administrative negligence. He cited violations of: - Article 62 of the Iraqi Constitution which requires the Council to send the draft budget to parliament for review and amendment. - Financial Management Law No. 6 of 2019, mandating timely submission of budget details. - Budget Law No. 23 of 2023, which approved a three-year budget framework requiring annual expenditure schedules for 2024 and 2025. The lawsuit comes amid mounting political pressure over the government's delay, which lawmakers warn is affecting salaries, social welfare, and public services. Although the financial framework was approved in 2023, the government must present annual tables to operationalize the budget; otherwise, spending allocations cannot be implemented. Parliamentary Finance Committee member Hussein Munis had ruled out near-term submission, citing ongoing bureaucratic and political hurdles, though fellow committee member Muin al-Kadhimi projected the schedules could reach Parliament by early July.
Shafaq News
2 days ago
- Business
- Shafaq News
Budget gridlock: Iraq unlikely to submit 2025 tables amid fiscal strains
Shafaq News/ Iraq's federal budget for 2025 is unlikely to be sent to Parliament anytime soon due to mounting fiscal and political challenges, a member of the Parliamentary Finance Committee warned on Saturday. Hussein Munis, a senior committee member, told Shafaq News that the delay is because of 'severe financial deficits, unstable revenue streams, the absence of a coherent economic vision, and the looming legislative elections.' 'The deficit in the budget law has reached nearly 80T IQD (~ $61B),' Munis said. 'This puts the government in an extremely difficult position as it lacks a structured economic strategy to finalize and submit the tables to Parliament.' Earlier, fellow committee member Muin al-Kadhimi anticipated that the budget tables might reach Parliament by early July. At the time, he noted that the Finance Ministry had reviewed its comments on the tables and submitted them to the Cabinet, which was expected to issue a final position. 'The ministry is preparing the final budget tables after receiving feedback from the Cabinet,' al-Kadhimi stated, adding that the draft might be sent to Parliament following cabinet approval. Observers warn that further delays in passing Iraq's 2025 federal budget will directly impact public salaries, infrastructure projects, and essential services. With over half the year gone, some analysts argue that the budget has become a political bargaining tool, especially as elections approach. 'The budget has turned into a political weapon during electoral seasons,' one analyst said, describing the protracted process as 'a tool for leverage between rival blocs—often at the expense of Iraqi citizens.' Legal experts, meanwhile, stress that failure to disburse funds allocated in a ratified budget law could constitute administrative misconduct. They note that legal action could be pursued against institutions obstructing lawful implementation.
