2009 budget returned to cabinet – MP

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Lawmaker Sami al-Attroshi on Thursday said that the federal budget of 2009 was returned to the Iraqi cabinet, as the Parliament is not authorized to increase it. “The Ministry of Finance demanded an increase to cover civil servants’ salaries,” Al-Attroshi, member of the parliament’s financial committee, told IraqiNews.com news agency. “The Presidential Board demanded to increase the social benefits by at least 50 percent,” he said. “The council of ministers should consider those demands,” he added. MH (P)/SR   1