Opposition in Kurdistan fails to return budget bill to govt.

ARBIL /Iraqi News Opposition blocs in the Kurdish Parliament could not return the draft budget law to the government after they had failed to gain a majority of votes for their proposal. “Opposition blocs in the Parliament have demanded a halt to the discussions over the budget bill…,” a media advisor to the speaker of the Kurdish Parliament, Tareq Johar, told Iraqi News. Only 34 parliamentarians have voted in favor of the proposal, while 66 members have voted against, Johar indicated. Three parliamentary blocs- the Change Bloc, the Islamic Union and the Islamic Group, had announced that they would stand as opposition blocs in the Parliament, refusing to participate in the current Kurdish government. SS (P)/SR 1