Latest news with #Raedal-Maliki
Shafaq News
5 days ago
- Business
- Shafaq News
'Unprecedented' fiscal gap: Iraq's debt exceeds $130B
Shafaq News/ Iraq's public debt has surpassed $130B, as the government faces a widening fiscal deficit and delays in finalizing the 2025 federal budget, a lawmaker cautioned on Thursday. MP Raed al-Maliki stated that the Ministry of Finance has yet to prepare budget schedules due to the Central Bank's refusal to authorize further borrowing. 'Revenues can't even cover salaries, and the fiscal gap is unprecedented,' al-Maliki noted after a meeting with Finance Minister Taif Sami. He criticized the government's recent endorsement of the second phase of the 'Beautiful Baghdad' beautification project—estimated at $122M—arguing the funds should instead address contractor arre ars and suspended infrastructure works. 'The government is spending billions on cosmetic ventures while essential infrastructure remains stalled and funded through borrowing,' he remarked. 'This mirrors the 2016 liquidity crisis, and history risks repeating itself.' The lawmaker further accused the administration of confiscating employee benefit allocations, delaying promotions and raises, and liquidating public assets—such as residential properties in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone—to cover operating expenses.'Parliament's silence is enabling poor governance and deepening the burden on Iraq's economy,' al-Maliki concluded. 'The financial crisis is real.'
Shafaq News
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iraqi MP: Parliament echoes Saddam-era assembly
Shafaq News/ On Friday, Independent Iraqi lawmaker Raed al-Maliki launched a sharp critique of the current parliamentary session, comparing it to the defunct National Assembly under Saddam Hussein's regime before 2003. In a statement, al-Maliki accused the current parliament of disrupting sessions and failing to pass more than 40 draft laws that were ready for voting, adding that dozens of other proposed legislations had only gone through first readings, with seven scheduled ministerial interrogations yet to be conducted. 'Speaker [Mahmoud al-Mashhadani] told me that the lack of consensus among Coordination Framework factions on certain laws has stalled the holding of sessions,' al-Maliki said, claiming that under the State Administration Coalition's ruling, the Council of Representatives 'had come to resemble the National Assembly of the former Revolutionary Command Council era.' Al-Maliki also denounced the government's influence over the legislature, alleging that it had found allies within the chamber who were 'keen to ride along with [Prime Minister] al-Sudani's bandwagon — one that seems to have room for many.' On Monday, the Council of Representatives failed to convene due to a lack of quorum — a recurring issue in recent months. Parliament officially entered its legislative recess on Friday, marking the end of the first term in its fourth legislative year. The recess is expected to extend until the national elections, scheduled for November 11. As Iraq nears the end of its fifth parliamentary term, the Council has held only 51% of its scheduled sessions based on its internal rules. Lawmakers and observers say this has weakened both the legislative and oversight functions of the body.
Shafaq News
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iraqi MP: PM's officer disrupts parliament sessions, breaking quorum
Shafaq News/ Political factions and a senior government employee are intentionally sabotaging Iraqi Parliament's sessions to block discussions on proposed amendments to the Election Law, an MP said on Tuesday. Speaking at a press conference, independent lawmaker Raed al-Maliki accused an employee in the Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's office of orchestrating the disruptions by repeatedly breaking quorum and halting proceedings. The lawmaker also pointed out the absence of any mention of the Election Law in the session minutes, despite ongoing interruptions, warning that the disruptions could continue until May 12, under the pretext of preparing for the Parliamentary Union Conference. Al-Maliki highlighted the damaging effects these delays were having on the Iraqi people's interests, with several important laws, including the Ministry of Education amendments, still stalled. 'Linking everything to politics and elections is both unjustifiable and unacceptable,' he declared. Blaming the Parliament's leadership and political bloc heads for the situation, Al-Maliki accused them of showing a double standard by agreeing to the disruptions before later questioning the validity of the sessions. He described the current parliamentary leadership as 'the weakest since the founding of Parliament,' expressing concerns that legislative terms might shift from serving the people's needs to becoming networks for businessmen and traders.
Shafaq News
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iraqi court decides fate of three controversial laws
Shafaq News/ Iraq's Federal Supreme Court is likely to overturn, on Tuesday, a parliamentary session that approved three controversial laws, potentially forcing lawmakers to vote again. "We are currently in the waiting hall of the Federal Supreme Court, awaiting the session that will decide on the lawsuits filed," Raed al-Maliki, a member of the parliamentary legal committee, told Shafaq News. He explained that some appeals challenge the validity of the voting session and its procedures, while others dispute specific provisions within the laws that were passed. "The court's ruling today will be decisive. If it invalidates the session and its procedures, the three laws, the General Amnesty Law, the Personal Status Law, and the Property Restitution Law, will be sent back to parliament for another vote," Maliki said. Last Tuesday, the Federal Supreme Court issued an injunction suspending the implementation of the three laws, a move that was met with strong opposition from Sunni political factions, while Kurdish parties expressed more limited objections. A day later, Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council ruled that laws enacted by parliament cannot be suspended before they are officially published. It recommended delaying any ruling on amendments to the Personal Status Law and the Property Restitution Law but emphasized that courts across the country must enforce the amended General Amnesty Law. Despite the Federal Supreme Court's objections, courts in several Iraqi provinces began implementing the revised amnesty law on Thursday, following instructions from the Supreme Judicial Council. The Three Controversial Laws On January 21st, Iraq's parliament passed three contentious laws: amendments to the General Amnesty Law, changes to the Personal Status Law, and a property restitution law affecting Kirkuk. Each law has sparked intense debate among Iraq's political and ethnic groups. The General Amnesty Law seeks to pardon individuals convicted of various offenses, including those related to terrorism and corruption. Sunni political factions argue that it addresses judicial injustices and could lead to the release of thousands of Sunni detainees who they claim were unfairly imprisoned. Sunni lawmaker Raad al-Dahlaki emphasized, "This law will not lead to the immediate release of prisoners. We, the Sunni bloc in parliament, demanded the retrial and review of all the prisoners' investigations, and the courts will decide their fate." However, critics fear it might enable the release of individuals involved in serious crimes. The amendments to the Personal Status Law grant Islamic courts greater authority over family matters, including marriage, divorce, and inheritance. Activists argue this undermines Iraq's 1959 Personal Status Law, which unified family law and provided safeguards for women. Intisar al-Mayali, a human rights activist and member of the Iraqi Women's League, warned that the amendments "will leave disastrous effects on the rights of women and girls." Shiite lawmakers, however, defend the changes as a way to align personal status laws with Islamic principles and respect religious diversity. The Property Restitution Law aims to return lands confiscated under Saddam Hussein's regime to their original owners, primarily benefiting Kurdish and Turkmen communities. Kurdish parties strongly support the law, seeing it as a long-overdue correction of historical injustices. However, some Arab groups oppose it, fearing the displacement of current Arab residents and potential demographic shifts, particularly in Kirkuk.
