Tuesday AM Iraq Parliament News Highlights 9-20-22
Al-Kazemi Arrives In New York To Participate In The Work Of The United Nations General Assembly
Iraq 10:50 – 09-20-2022 This morning, Tuesday, Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi arrived in New York to participate in the work and meetings of the United Nations General Assembly, which will start tomorrow, Wednesday.
A statement by his media office stated that the Prime Minister will deliver Iraq’s speech at the General Assembly meeting, and he will meet on the sidelines of the Assembly’s work – with a number of kings and heads of brotherly and friendly countries participating in the meetings, as well as a meeting with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
The statement added that, on the sidelines of the participation, Al-Kazemi will meet with a number of officials of international and regional organizations; To discuss the most important files for cooperation at various levels, in order to address the economic and political challenges facing Iraq and the region.
https://kirkuktv.net/AR/Details/9032
Deputy: The Caretaker Government Does Not Have The Right To Hold Early Elections
Iraq 12:32 – 09-19-20-20 The Al-Fateh Alliance announced its refusal to hold any early electoral entitlement before forming a new government with full powers, noting the need to carry out political reforms and then to organize early elections.
Member of the Al-Fateh Alliance, Suhaila Al-Sultani, said that the caretaker government does not have the right to hold early elections.
She added that all political parties support the holding of early elections by forming a new government, reviewing the electoral law and working on the structure of the Electoral Commission.
The representative of the Al-Fateh Alliance indicated that holding early elections under the current government is impossible and she does not have the right to hold early elections because it is an expired government. https://kirkuktv.net/AR/Details/9008
Al-Abadi’s Coalition Confirms Its Support For Any Rapprochement Between Political Forces To End The Political Impasse
Iraq 12:05 – 09-19-20-20 Today, Monday, the Al-Nasr coalition confirmed its support for any dialogue and rapprochement between the political forces to end the political impasse.
The coalition said in a statement: “We have no new positions regarding the candidate for prime minister, and the rumored counter-positions led by “electronic armies” come to pass agendas and special interests that have nothing to do with resolving the crisis and avoiding blockage and chaos.”
The coalition confirmed that “the initiatives of its leader Haider al-Abadi always emphasize the need to adopt the correct path to resolve the crisis, regardless of the name of the candidate for prime minister,” noting that “the most important is the agreement of the political parties on a road map that ends the political blockage, and brings the country out of the neck of the crisis.” This is what we always work on, whether within the coordination framework or with others.”
He explained that “the differences between the political forces should not center on the best candidate for the interests of these or that forces, but rather how to be judged and according to any valid and possible criteria to manage the current stage and the foreseeable future.” This is what the public expects from its national forces.” https://kirkuktv.net/AR/Details/9002
Integrity Commission: Lifting The Immunity Of A Member Of Parliament
Iraq 10:29 – 09-19-20-20 Today, Monday, the Integrity Commission revealed a decision to lift the immunity of a member of Parliament for the current session, on charges of deliberately causing damage to public funds.
The Commission’s Investigation Department stated, in a statement, that “the second Karkh investigation court in Baghdad issued a decision to lift the immunity of a member of Parliament for the current session, who was holding the position of the former governor of Salah al-Din, on the grounds of harming the governorate health department.”
She added, “The lifting of immunity came as a result of the information proven in the audit report issued by the Ministry of Health, which includes the Salah al-Din Governorate using the job grades of the Health Department in the governorate without its approval.”
She explained, “The Second Karkh Investigation Court in Baghdad based the decision to lift immunity on Article (340) of the amended Iraqi Penal Code No. (111 of 1969). https://kirkuktv.net/AR/Details/8999
The Prime Minister Directs To Strengthen Coordination Between The Various Security Institutions
Iraq 21:00 – 2022-09-18 Today, Sunday, the Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Mustafa Al-Kazemi, directed the strengthening of coordination between the various security institutions.
The media office of the Prime Minister said in a statement, “The Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kazemi, chaired a meeting of the Ministerial Council for National Security, in which the developments of the security situation in the country and the most prominent security and military files were discussed.”
He added, “The meeting witnessed a discussion of the security situation, and the strengthening of security plans to confront various challenges, and Al-Kazemi directed to strengthen security coordination between the various security institutions to preserve and enhance security gains.”
And he added, “The Prime Minister thanked and praised the security forces of all kinds on the occasion of the success of the security plan prepared to protect the forty-day visit and the visitors traveling from different parts of Iraq and other countries, and to enable them to secure them in the best way.”
https://kirkuktv.net/AR/Details/8994
A Deputy Calls On The Presidency Of The House Of Representatives To Announce The Date Of The Expected Parliamentary Session
Iraq 20:57 – 09-18-2022 Member of Parliament Zahra Al-Bajari demanded, on Sunday, the Presidency of the House of Representatives to announce the date of the expected parliamentary session in the coming days, while stressing that the political differences led to the continuation of the caretaker government “without accountability or supervision.”
Al-Bajari said in a press statement, “We demand the Presidency of the Parliament to call for a parliamentary session, considering that many laws and decisions are late and need legislation, and the oversight and legislative work of Parliament is suspended.”
She added, “We cannot summon or host officials who are being pursued by corruption files,” renewing her request that “the Presidency of the House of Representatives, during these days, announce the date of a session to ensure the continuation of its work.”
And on the political differences, the deputy explained that it “delayed work in the Iraqi state, and the work became in the hands of the expired caretaker government, which specializes in facilitating daily matters only, at a time when we note that large projects and money are stolen and wasted without supervision and without accountability.” https://kirkuktv.net/AR/Details/8993
The Night Of The “Frame” Disputes: Al-Kazemi’s Support And Fears Of Arrests Against The Background Of The Al-Khadra Clashes
Posted On2022-09-20 By Sotaliraq Baghdad / Tamim Al-Hassan
Once again, the wing of Nuri al-Maliki (the leader of the state of law) dominates the opposition movement within the framework on the penultimate night, which witnessed the most severe differences within the Shiite group since the last elections, due to the identity of the next prime minister.
It seems that the recent dispute left major cracks this time in the Shiite bloc, with which patchwork may be difficult, especially with Haider al-Abadi’s (leader of the victory coalition) admitting that what happened that night was to advance “special agendas.”
The coordinating framework is under great pressure, but there are fears of renewed protests, and the involvement of leaders in the firing orders that took place in the Green Zone at the end of last month, and which are expected to be issued soon against their affiliated factions.
These pressures prompted parties within the “Coordination Council” to adopt options close to the demands of Muqtada al-Sadr, the leader of the Sadrist movement, who seeks the survival of Mustafa al-Kazemi’s current government, or at least against al-Maliki’s ambition.
Disagreements took place that night over the name of the next prime minister, as the name of Jaafar al-Sadr was raised again, the form of the government and the distribution of ministries to the political forces.
Disagreements began to escalate within the Shiite group after the Karbala meeting that took place during the Arba’een visit last week, and a proposal was made to go to Al-Hanana, where Al-Sadr is based in the city of Najaf, and try to persuade him to form a new government.
During this meeting, which took place amid warnings of the possibility of renewed clashes between the “current” and “the framework”, there were two clear teams, the first represented by Hadi al-Amiri, the leader of the Badr Organization, with support for the settlement with al-Sadr, and the other represented by al-Maliki, who seeks to hold a parliament session before any negotiation.
According to the latest information, the leader of the Sadrist movement told both the Democratic Party and the Alliance of Sovereignty (allies of Sadr) that he would not receive any party from the coordinating framework, not even al-Amiri because he represents a weak link now within the Shiite group.
Efforts to hold the parliament session had been postponed due to what was known as the “forty-year armistice,” which followed the armed clashes inside the Green Zone at the end of last August, as the coordination framework retreated from the intentions of resuming parliament sessions until after the visit.
Al-Sadr, in turn, adhered to the unwritten truce with his opponents and stopped tweeting, along with his minister, Saleh Muhammad al-Iraqi, while al-Maliki had returned in the middle of the truce to talk about forming a new government during the statement of al-Sadr’s allies (the Democratic and Sovereignty Alliance), which the leader of the rule of law believed came in his favor.
With a careful reading of the statement of the members of the Triple Alliance, which announced that it did not object to the return of Parliament, and after that messages arrived to the “Coordination Committee” that the allies of the current leader require the approval of al-Sadr in return, the short euphoria of victory that leaders in the framework felt has disappeared.
An informed politician said in an interview with (Al-Mada) that “on Sunday night, the coordinating framework was increasingly fragmented, yet a group of frameworks had united to stop al-Maliki’s ambition to control the next government, despite the different intentions of each party.”
And he continues, saying: “The team that includes Al-Amiri and Al-Abadi was more realistic in dealing with the crisis, and they found that there is no solution except by concession and acceptance of Al-Sadr’s conditions and the renewal of confidence in the current Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kazemi.”
Although the politician close to the events indicates that Haider al-Abadi may not be very enthusiastic about restoring confidence in Al-Kazemi, but it is in his interest in all cases to prevent Al-Maliki from obtaining the government in the hope that he will be chosen for the position (and he means Al-Abadi).
On the other hand, Hadi al-Amiri wanted the position to go to the leader of the Badr Organization and National Security Adviser Qassem al-Araji, who abdicated hours before the selection of al-Maliki’s candidate to head the next government, Muhammad al-Sudani, last July.
Al-Amiri had put forward Al-Araji’s name again during the past two days, within the requirements of the settlement with Al-Sadr.
But in the end, according to what the politician who was acquainted with the recent discussions says, “Nuri al-Maliki’s wing, along with Asa’ib, and with the reservation of Ammar al-Hakim, the leader of the Wisdom Movement, took control of the opposition movement within the coordination and imposed his opinion once again.”
Al-Maliki’s team had previously controlled the opposition of a group within the “coordinating body” to naming Al-Sudani because it might provoke Al-Sadr before the supporters of the current stormed the Green Zone and held a sit-in in front of Parliament for about a month.
Al-Abadi appeared angry about what happened on Sunday night, when he published a statement in the name of the Victory Coalition, in which he exposed part of what happened, and distanced himself from any position regarding the candidate for prime minister, calling for action to produce a “constitutional political settlement.”
The victory statement said, “We have nothing new regarding the candidate for prime minister, and the rumored counter-positions and positions that come to pass agendas and special interests that have nothing to do with resolving the crisis and avoiding blockage and chaos.”
The statement considered that “the differences between the political forces should not focus on the best candidate for the interests of these or that forces, but rather on how to be judged.”
He stressed that “the duty of the concerned forces in the state today is to work to produce a constitutional political settlement that creates the appropriate conditions for early elections.”
On the other hand, the Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq movement, led by Qais Khazali, confirmed that there is no renewal of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi.
A spokesman for the political office of the Sadiqoun bloc, which represents the Asaib Asaib, Mahmoud Al-Rubaie, said in a tweet via Twitter: “No, no, and no renewal of Al-Mabkhout (referring to Al-Kazemi), and everyone who publishes something like this is either delusional or a liar, so do not believe him.”
These developments came with Cabinet spokesman Hassan Nazim announcing yesterday that Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi will go to the United States to participate in the work of the United Nations General Assembly.
Nazim said during a press conference in Baghdad that followed the cabinet session that “Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi will travel to the United States to participate in the work of the United Nations General Assembly in its 77th session,” noting that “Al-Kazemi will meet high-ranking figures in New York.”[/size]
On Sunday night, leaders in the framework had reviewed warnings of the possibility of renewed demonstrations expected during the next two weeks, and talked about the existence of “evidences of the involvement of factions affiliated with leaders in the framework with orders to fire in the Green Zone.”
The politician familiar with these discussions says that “there is information about the possibility of issuing arrest warrants against some of the leaders of the factions against the background of the killing of at least 30 people in the events of al-Khadra more than two weeks ago, which increases pressure on the leaders of the framework.”
The politician also revealed that the penultimate night had circulated other proposals besides renewing confidence in Al-Kazemi related to the re-introduction of the cousin of the leader of the Sadrist movement Muqtada al-Sadr and his former candidate for the next government, Jaafar al-Sadr, as one of the compromise solutions.
In addition, the leaders of the framework discussed giving 6 ministries out of 12 supposed Shiite ministries in the new government to the Sadrist movement, despite the latter’s assertion not to participate in the government, as some forces suggested giving them to close to al-Sadr if the latter refused to take over the ministries. LINK
