Latest news with #IraqiConstitution
Rudaw Net
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
KRG opens child protection center in Halabja province: official
Also in Kurdistan Kurdistan Region rolls out projects to fight chronic water shortages Sulaimani villagers suffer from severe water shortage Kurdish ruling parties to meet soon for government formation talks Drones targeting Kurdistan Region were launched from Kirkuk: KRG official A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has opened a child protection center in Halabja's Khurmal district, a local official said on Monday, in a move aimed at providing support services for children. Dana Hamashareef, Halabja's director of social monitoring and development, told Rudaw that KRG Labor and Social Affairs Minister Kwestan Mohammed 'decided during her visit to open a center for child protection and monitoring in Khurmal district.' The center was opened as part of Mohammed's decision to expand her ministry's activities in the province, according to Hamashareef, and it aims to provide a coordinated network of services, regulations, and supervisory measures to safeguard children's rights and welfare. Child protection efforts are particularly critical in cities, where dense populations, poverty, insecurity, and limited access to essential services can heighten children's vulnerability to abuse, exploitation, and neglect. "The opening aims to monitor and provide greater support to children, as there was previously no similar center in the district," Hamashareef added. The center will be under the authority of the province's social monitoring and development directorate. Article 29 of the Iraqi Constitution stipulates that 'the state shall guarantee the protection of motherhood, childhood, and old age, shall care for children and youth, and shall provide them with the appropriate conditions to develop their talents and abilities.' The article also explicitly prohibits the economic exploitation of children and bans all forms of violence and abuse within the family, schools, and society. But despite such laws, children in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region are often the subject of economic and physical exploitation, with widespread abuses frequently going unreported. Halabja officially became Iraq's 19th province in May.
Shafaq News
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iraqi MPs reject Khor Abdullah deal
Shafaq News – Baghdad/Kuwait Over 100 Iraqi lawmakers have signed a petition rejecting the maritime agreement with Kuwait over Khor Abdullah, denouncing it as 'humiliating. During a press conference at the Council of Representatives on Saturday, MP Amer Abduljabbar urged Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to enforce the Federal Supreme Court ruling issued on September 4, 2023, which annulled the 2013 ratification law on constitutional grounds. Lawmakers also called for the verdict to be formally registered with the United Nations and the International Maritime Organization. In addition to enforcing the court decision, the petition called for fresh negotiations with Kuwait led by a team of maritime experts free from political influence. Abduljabbar said the talks should take place in Baghdad or a neutral third country, aligned with international norms. The Supreme Court had invalidated the agreement for violating Article 61/4 of the Iraqi Constitution, which requires a two-thirds parliamentary majority to approve international treaties. Both President Abdul Latif Rashid and Prime Minister al-Sudani later submitted separate appeals asking the court to reconsider its decision and restore the agreement. Signed in 2013, the Khor Abdullah agreement aimed to regulate maritime navigation between Iraq and Kuwait in the northern Gulf. Its annulment in 2023 sparked widespread political backlash, including resignations within Iraq's judiciary and renewed calls from Parliament to renegotiate the terms.
Shafaq News
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iraq's fee-for-service crisis: Citizens pay more while receiving less
Shafaq News In a country where public services were once seen as a right, Iraqis are now finding themselves trapped in a system where access to basic government functions—from hospital visits to traffic procedures—comes with a growing price tag. As service quality stagnates or deteriorates, the state's increasing reliance on citizen-paid fees has ignited anger, confusion, and a deep sense of injustice. Burden Without Benefit Across Iraq, citizens are paying out of pocket for services that are either substandard or absent. Hospitals charge patients and their companions for overnight stays without providing clean beds or working air conditioning. Traffic departments impose processing fees ranging from 20,000 to 100,000 IQD (about $75) for routine paperwork—despite long waits, limited seating, and no meaningful infrastructure improvements. "Even to process a simple form, we pay, but get nothing in return," said Khuldun Hassan, a 47-year-old father from Baghdad's al-Shu'la district. In another part of the city, Hayder Ubaid recounted how his electricity bill has soared despite frequent blackouts. "We mostly rely on private generators, but the official bill comes inflated, with added charges for things like 'receipt printing'—even when no electricity is delivered." These are not isolated complaints. From the healthcare sector to utilities and civil paperwork, Iraqis increasingly report that fees are being imposed arbitrarily and without tangible service improvements. Legal Ambiguity The Iraqi Constitution is clear: taxes and fees must be imposed by law, not ministerial discretion. Article 28 of the 2005 Constitution states: "No taxes or fees shall be imposed, amended, collected, or exempted except by law." Yet, in practice, many government ministries and local agencies have bypassed this legal safeguard by creating new services—often in coordination with private contractors—and charging for them under the banner of "enhanced offerings." Khalid al-Jaberi, a member of Iraq's High Committee for Tax Reform, explained the distinction, "A fee is supposed to correspond to a specific service. Taxes apply to regular income. But what's happening now is that many so-called fees are being applied without improving the associated service." This distinction matters because the difference between a legal tax and an unlawful charge affects millions of Iraqis. Public institutions, especially those delegated autonomy, often interpret these rules broadly—leaving citizens with little recourse. Part of the issue stems from the state's effort to increase non-oil revenues. In doing so, ministries have been granted authority to contract with private firms, transferring responsibility for essential services while raising fees. "There is no justifiable reason to involve private companies in issuing passports or handling citizen data," says MP Mohammed al-Khafaji, a member of the parliamentary Legal Committee. "The only real outcome has been a steep rise in costs—without any visible service upgrade." Penalizing the Poor The regressive nature of this monetization strategy is stark. Whether it's paying 5,000 IQD (about $4) to visit a hospitalized relative or shelling out 240,000 IQD (about $185) to renew a car registration, the brunt falls disproportionately on low- and middle-income families. For small business owners and traders, the situation is even more dire. MP Amir al-Maamouri noted that new taxes on imports and property were enacted without warning. "We've seen an abrupt increase in customs fees, especially at uncontrolled border crossings, where poor oversight allows for smuggling and tax evasion while penalizing legitimate traders." According to economist Ahmed Abdul-Rahab, the cumulative effect of these policies is to alienate the very people the government depends on for revenue. "When citizens feel cheated—when they pay but receive no benefit—they stop participating. They avoid paying bills, avoid using government services, and withdraw trust." Broken Fiscal Logic Official estimates suggest that Iraq should be collecting up to 12 trillion IQD (about $9 billion) annually in taxes and fees. In reality, less than a quarter of that amount—about 3 trillion IQD (about $2 billion)—is ever collected. The gap is attributed to systemic evasion, underreporting, and widespread administrative inefficiency. Much of the country's financial code remains unchanged since the early 1980s. Abdul-Rahab criticized the current tax law, first enacted in 1982 and based on a 1922 British model, as "outdated, misaligned with Iraq's social needs, and structurally unjust." He advocated for a progressive overhaul, "Iraq needs modern tax legislation that spares low-income families and targets high-margin industries, banks, and real estate conglomerates. That's how you generate revenue without suffocating everyday life."
Shafaq News
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
KRG pushes back against Qara Tapa upgrade
Shafaq News - Diyala The federal plan to upgrade Qara Tapa from a sub-district to a district and include Koks within its boundaries is political and unconstitutional, the Kurdistan Region's Garmian Administration stated on Monday. 'Koks is part of the Kurdistan Region and was formally integrated after 2003 through official regional procedures,' the administration stated. 'Any attempt to detach it from Garmian constitutes a legal violation and will not be accepted.' Residents of Koks, regardless of ethnic or sectarian background, reject the proposal and insist on remaining under Kurdistan's administrative and political jurisdiction, the statement added. The Garmian Administration affirmed it will pursue all legal and political measures to block the plan and preserve Koks' current status. Earlier, Iraqi lawmaker Karwan Yarwais described the Planning Ministry's move as a direct breach of Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution, which governs the resolution of disputed territories between Baghdad and Erbil. 'Altering administrative boundaries without resolving Article 140 reflects a return to the Arabization tactics of former regimes," he told Shafaq News. On July 2, Iraq's Ministry of Planning confirmed that Deputy Prime Minister and Planning Minister Mohammed Ali Tamim had approved the creation of the Qara Tapa district, encompassing the Jabara (21092) and Koks (21093) sub-districts under a new national administrative designation.
Shafaq News
23-06-2025
- Business
- Shafaq News
Iraqi government sued over 2025 budget delay
Shafaq News/ A parliamentary lawsuit has been filed against the Iraqi government for failing to submit the 2025 budget tables, an MP revealed on Monday, citing constitutional and legal violations that have disrupted public spending. MP Hadi al-Salami explained that the Finance Ministry has failed to pay monthly stipends of 60,000 dinars ($46) to residents of state-run senior care homes, accusing both the ministry and the Council of Ministers of corruption and administrative negligence. He cited violations of: - Article 62 of the Iraqi Constitution which requires the Council to send the draft budget to parliament for review and amendment. - Financial Management Law No. 6 of 2019, mandating timely submission of budget details. - Budget Law No. 23 of 2023, which approved a three-year budget framework requiring annual expenditure schedules for 2024 and 2025. The lawsuit comes amid mounting political pressure over the government's delay, which lawmakers warn is affecting salaries, social welfare, and public services. Although the financial framework was approved in 2023, the government must present annual tables to operationalize the budget; otherwise, spending allocations cannot be implemented. Parliamentary Finance Committee member Hussein Munis had ruled out near-term submission, citing ongoing bureaucratic and political hurdles, though fellow committee member Muin al-Kadhimi projected the schedules could reach Parliament by early July.
