Parliament begins voting on 2010 general budget

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi Parliament on Tuesday began voting on some articles for the 2010 general budget bill, a Sadrist lawmaker said. “The parliament started to vote on the draft law after solving all controversial points,” Hassan Teamaa told IraqiNews.com news agency. The 2010 budget has sparked a wide-scale political hubbub amidst parliamentary circles as some blocs linked its passing to the election conduction law that trims the government’s powers. Some political blocs, namely the Iraqi National Coalition, have linked the budget approval to the downgrading of special salaries by half. SH (P)/SR 2