Iraq: Kurdistan denounces a budget bill threatening its autonomy

In Iraq, the long-awaited vote on the budget bill is postponed. The autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government opposes the amendments made to the text by the Finance Committee. He denounces violations of the rights of the Kurds. Because the amended articles touch on the issue of oil.

The Prime Minister of Iraqi Kurdistan, Masrour Barzani, on March 8, 2023. © Kurdistan Regional Government via AFP

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With our correspondent in Baghdad, Marie-Charlotte Roupie

In Iraq, oil is the sinews of war and it is, once again, the cause of friction between Iraqi Kurdistan and the central government. Amendments to the budget law by the parliamentary finance committee have angered the Kurdish authorities.

According to the statement they issue, these amendments would call into question the temporary agreement between Erbil and Baghdad in early April. The purpose of this agreement was to allow the resumption of oil exports from the fields exploited by the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government. It provided for a control of sales by Baghdad, but also that the revenues would be paid into an account controlled by the Kurdish authorities.

But the revision of the text would oblige Erbil to deposit these revenues with the Iraqi Central Bank. According to several analysts, this would cause Kurdistan to lose control over the exploitation of its oil fields. This umpteenth twist caused the postponement of the vote initially scheduled for Saturday. Iraq has not had a budget for more than a year and a half.

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  • Iraq
  • Kurds
  • Petroleum
  • Energies
  • Economy