Iraqi parliament partially passes budget, including disputed Kurdish share
Iraqi parliament.
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The Iraqi parliament has partially passed its 2018 budget, including the share of Kurdistan opposed by the region’s representatives.
Alsumaria News said the chamber voted Thursday for 12 articles of the document, in the presence of 170 members, and adjourned the session to Saturday.
Discussion of the budget has been called off several times over the past months.
Alsumaria quoted a parliament source saying that the session did not reach quorum.
Kurdish representatives boycotted the session, in protest at the parliament’s insistence to keep the reduction of Kurdistan’s share of the budget at 12.67%, down from 17%.
The proposed Iraqi budget is worth USD71.65 billion, with a deficit of USD19.13 billion
Relations between Baghdad and Erbil deteriorated following Kurdistan’s vote on independence from Iraq in a popular referendum in September. With Baghdad taking penal measures against the region in response, Erbil demanded the payment of delayed employee salaries.
Baghdad has also accused Erbil of corruption in handling oil exports from fields under the region’s control, suggesting revenues could be sufficient to fulfill its expenses, a suggestion rebuffed by Erbil.