Early Wednesday Evening Iraq News 4-13-22

Kurdistan And America Stress The Importance Of Getting Out Of The “Political Blockage” In Iraq

April 13, 2022   KurdistanKurdistan Region President    2022-04-13 15:16A-AA+   Shafaq News/ The President of Kurdistan Region and US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Joey Hood stressed, during their meeting, today, Wednesday, in Erbil the importance of overcoming problems and obstacles in front of the political process in Iraq and its exit from the state of obstruction and the formation of a government that responds to the demands and desires of citizens and all components of the country, and they stressed the importance of Harmony and unity of the Kurdish parties.

And according to a statement by the presidency of the region received by Shafaq News Agency, Barzani received, on Wednesday evening, an American delegation headed by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Joey Hood, noting that the meeting witnessed a discussion of the latest developments in the Iraqi political situation and relations between Iraq and the Kurdistan Region with America and the relations between Erbil and Baghdad and efforts to address The problems between them, the dangers of ISIS, the situation in the Sinjar region, and the economic situation in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

The statement added that the two sides were in agreement on the importance of overcoming problems and obstacles in front of the political process in Iraq, getting it out of the state of blockage and forming a government that responds to the demands and desires of citizens and all components of the country, and they stressed the importance of harmony and unity of the Kurdish parties.

The statement indicated that Hood expressed his thanks to Barzani for the communication, relations and assistance he showed and all the institutions in the Kurdistan Region, stressing the strong relations and the continuation of friendship, participation and America’s support for Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

In another focus of the meeting, which was attended by a number of diplomats and officials at the US Consulate in the Kurdistan Region, the two sides discussed issues of freedom of opinion, human rights, the rule of law, developments in Ukraine, and the situation in Afghanistan and the region in general, according to the statement.

The statement noted that Barzani wished, in another aspect of the meeting, success for Hood, who is scheduled to take up a new diplomatic mission soon.   LINK

Parliament Will Ask The Government To Send The 2022 Budget

Section : Iraq  Baghdad / Obelisk: The First Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hakim Al-Zamili, announced, on Tuesday, April 12, 2022, a request to the government to send the 2022 budget.

Al-Zamili said, in a statement followed by the obelisk, that “the House of Representatives will ask the current government to prepare and send the 2022 budget.”

The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Shakhwan Abdullah Ahmed, confirmed earlier that the Parliament is continuing its work and performing its legislative and oversight tasks, and is awaiting sending the current year’s budget.    LINK

The Budget Occupies Legal Opinion.. What Is The Constitutionality Of Parliament Allowing The Drain G

Article  at link   https://baghdadtoday.news/ar/news/186262/A

An Economic Center Warns Of The Repercussions Of The Delay In Approving The Budget

Economy News – Baghdad   Today, Wednesday, the Iraqi Political Economic Center revealed the repercussions and impact of delaying the approval of the 2022 budget on the Iraqi economic situation in general.

Wissam Hadmal Al-Helou, director of the center, said, "The economic situation in Iraq suffers from a number of economic problems, and the delay in approving the budget until now due to the political blockage between the political blocs, and it will reflect negatively on the life of the Iraqi citizen."

Al-Hilu explained, "Law 121 currently followed by the Iraqi government is a business case only and is no longer sufficient to manage the Iraqi state's expenses because building the 2021 budget was based on the price of a barrel of oil set at 45 dollars, and today oil prices have reached more than 100 dollars, and according to the data, the Prices are on the rise and fluctuations due to the Russian-Ukrainian war.

He added, "The global economic circumstance requires Iraq to create a new economic mechanism and legislate new economic laws in line with the current economic and political events in the world in order to achieve sound economic security enhanced by government economic committees and with the participation of Iraqi private sector institutions and a number of experts and specialists in the economic field on That the committees be real, not formal, ineffective and not influential in the government decision, and the tasks of the committees are to follow up and monitor global markets and economic variables and come up with studied economic proposals that work to alleviate the burden of the Iraqi citizen.  https://economy-news.net/content.php?id=27592

In The Presence Of The Minister Of Oil.. An Emergency Parliamentary Meeting Tomorrow To Discuss The Fuel Crisis

Political | 09:08 - 13/04/2022   Baghdad - Mawazine News  The Parliament will hold an emergency meeting tomorrow, Thursday, in the presence of the Minister of Oil, to discuss the fuel crisis.

The media department of the House of Representatives said in a brief statement that "a meeting will be prepared by Parliament tomorrow with the Minister of Oil and the advanced cadre of the ministry to discuss the fuel crisis."

She added, "The meeting will be held under the chairmanship of the first deputy speaker of the council, Hakim Al-Zamili." Ended 29 / p. 87    https://www.mawazin.net/Details.aspx?jimare=190119

Oil: There Is No Fuel Crisis

local| 09:25 - 13/04/2022    Baghdad - Mawazine News  The Oil Products Distribution Company affiliated to the Ministry of Oil announced today, Wednesday, that there is no current crisis in oil derivatives, while indicating that 5 fuel filling stations have been seized that engage in smuggling.

The deputy director of the company, Ihsan Moussa, said, "The Ministry of Oil and the Oil Sector Company have immediate solutions, as there is no current crisis in oil derivatives, and what is happening is an active act," noting that "there are instructions from the Ministry of Oil and the partners in the private filling stations to implement them. ".

He added, "The Ministry of Oil decided that all fuel filling stations in Baghdad and the provinces would be sentinels," noting that "some stations did not adhere to the ministry's instructions."

He stressed that "no one, even the director of the filling station, has the right to close his station," explaining that "any station that closes, a criminal case is filed against its owner and the contract is terminated with him."

He stated that "committees began inspecting the stations, and some of them were caught smuggling fuel in flagrante delicto to the Kurdistan region," explaining that "within a week, 5 smuggling stations were seized." Ended 29 / p. 87    https://www.mawazin.net/Details.aspx?jimare=190122

The Fuel Crisis Is Fabricated And Citizens Say That There Are Parties Trying To Create A Crisis In Baghdad (Report)

Posted On2022-04-13  By Sotaliraq  Baghdadi citizens refuted the news that claimed there was a fuel crisis in the capital, Baghdad, stressing that movement at gas stations is normal and there is no such crisis.   LINK

A Fabricated Fuel Crisis .. Oil Products End The Talk Of The Stations And Stick What Is Happening In The Region!

04/13/2022   Earth News/ The Oil Products Distribution Company confirmed today, Wednesday, that the talk about the existence of a fuel crisis is incorrect, and all the stations that it worked to create and closed their doors accused of smuggling, noting that about 7 million liters of fuel is smuggled daily to the Kurdistan region and other countries.

Moussa said in a televised interview seen by Earth News, "The Ministry of Oil and the Products Distribution Company always have solutions, as government stations were instructed to remain open 24 hours a day on both sides of Karkh and Rusafa," adding that "the lack of compliance by some private stations with the laws, It is the cause of the crisis.”

He stressed that “the private stations and their owners are agents of the Ministry of Oil, and they do not have the right to close the stations, and we have the right to file lawsuits against them and terminate contracts with them,” pointing out that “the stations that closed their doors now are accused of smuggling and trading in fuel and the flagrant crime,” noting that “the difference in the price of fuel.” Between Baghdad and the Kurdistan region is the cause of smuggling.”

He continued, "Smuggling also included Syria and Lebanon, and the crisis that is happening now occurred by an active act, and there is no real crisis," noting that "the coming days we will not witness any crisis, and the stations of the Ministry of Oil will be open for 24 hours."

He said that "about 7 million liters of fuel are smuggled daily, out of a total of 30 million liters produced by oil per day."   https://earthiq.news/archives/64136

Deputy: Catastrophic Indicators Of The Oil Sector Under The Current Ministry

04/13/2022   Earth News/ Representative Mustafa Jabbar Sanad confirmed today, Wednesday, that there are catastrophic indicators for the oil sector under the current ministry.

Sanad said in his blog post, followed by the Earth News Agency, that "to evaluate the performance of the Ministry of Oil in a summary and general manner, we see that the Basra Oil Company (without sufficient liquidity to cover its obligations with the expansion of ministerial contracts)", noting that "the drilling and project companies suffer from great neglect and without enough work.”

Sanad added that “the liquidation companies, this year will be a loss for the first time in their history, in light of the new pricing set by the minister, which will lead in the future to stop maintenance, spare parts and expansion, and from it to stop production lines, which will lead in the future to switching to importing 100 percent, noting that the southern refineries Covering 50% of local production.

He pointed out that "distribution companies will witness a decrease in liquidity and problems at filling stations due to central ministerial policies as well."    https://earthiq.news/archives/63825

The Minister Of Oil Is At The Interrogation Table Due To The High Fuel Prices

04/13/2022   Earth News / The independent MP Hadi Al-Salami announced, today, Wednesday, the completion of the procedures for questioning the Minister of Oil, Ihsan Abdul-Jabbar, against the background of “rising fuel prices and rampant corruption in the joints of the ministry.”

Al-Salami said in a video clip that he posted on his Twitter account, which was seen by Earth News, "We completed the procedures and requirements for the questioning of the Minister of Oil by collecting the signatures of 40 deputies and submitted them to the House of Representatives."

He added, "This comes due to the rampant corruption in the ministry's joints and its procedures in raising the prices of black oil and kerosene," noting that "this matter hinders the wheel of reconstruction and investment."

Al-Salami continued, "The rise in the prices of black oil and kerosene negatively affected the citizen and led to the suspension of a number of government factories."   LINK

The Iraqi Industry Warns The Ministry Of Oil Against Decisions That Violate Al-Kazemi’s Directives Empty

Shafaq News / Today, Wednesday, the Ministry of Industry considered that the decision of the Ministry of Oil to raise the prices of black oil will lead to the death of the industry, and while it called on its counterpart to coordinate with it before taking any decision to raise prices, it demanded the intervention of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi to save the factories threatened with "stop and collapse" ".

The Ministry of Industry and Minerals said in a statement received by Shafaq News Agency, "The ministry participated in the conference held by the Federation of Iraqi Industries and the Cement Manufacturers Association today, Wednesday, at the headquarters of the Federation, to discuss the problem of high black oil prices and its negative effects on industrial plants and the local product, in the presence of the President of the Iraqi Federation of Industries, Mr. Adel Akab, President of the Cement Manufacturers Association, Director General of the Technical Department in the Ministry, Engineer Nasser Al-Madani, and Director General of the General Directorate of Industrial Development, Mr. Aziz Nazim.

The conference attendees called on the Ministry of Oil to “coordinate with the Ministry of Industry and the concerned authorities before making decisions related to black oil prices to explain the extent of their negative impact on factories and industrial projects,” stressing that “these decisions will affect the salaries of workers and will cause the closure of factories, and this is in violation of the directives of the State of the Chairman of the Council of Ministers.” Ministers operate factories and bring them back to life.”

The attendees explained, according to the statement, that "the continuous increase in fuel prices will lead to an increase in production costs and raise the prices of products, which will cause harm to the citizen directly, as he is the beneficiary of these products."

It was also emphasized during the conference that “the rise in black oil prices will lead to the death of the industry, as the increase in product costs will lead to an increase in product prices and consequently their inability to compete with the importer,” calling on the Prime Minister to “intervene to solve the problem of high oil prices.” lions and saving the factories that are threatened with stopping and collapsing.”

Yesterday, Tuesday, Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi announced his regret that some ministries had taken decisions that negatively affected the lives of citizens, while expressing his hope that the political forces would work hard to form the next government.    LINK

Iran Abdicates Responsibility For Cutting Off Water From Iraq: Drought Is A Global Crisis

Shafaq News/ The former Iranian ambassador to Baghdad, Iraj Masjedi, denied on Wednesday that Tehran had cut off water from Iraq for political reasons or for interests and benefits, stressing that water scarcity is a global crisis that most countries suffer from, including Iran.

Masjedi said in a television interview, broadcast by the Kurdish Kurdish channel, Kurdistan News, and seen by Shafak News Agency, in response to a question about officials in the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Region accusing Iran of waging a "water war" on Iraq, that "everyone knows that there is a global problem of water shortage that suffers." Including most countries of the world.

He added, "It is natural that this problem will have its effects on the region, including Iraq and Iran, and the countries of the region are all facing drought and water shortages, but Iran has never prevented water from Iraq and the Kurdistan Region."

He attributed the reason to "low water levels, and this matter is not in the hands of the Islamic Republic, but rather it is a situation that has imposed itself on the whole region. For example, the Zayandeh Road in Isfahan is one of the largest rivers in Iran, but go and look at it now, it has completely dried up."

Masjedi pointed out that "the rivers between Iraq and Iran flow naturally, and the more rains, the higher the water levels in them, and vice versa, as happened in previous years. Therefore, Iran has no moral, legal or legal shortcomings."

He stressed, "Iran has not prevented water from Iraq, and there is no political goal or governmental will to cut off water from Iraq, so I call on officials in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region to negotiate seriously with the Iranian authorities regarding water in a friendly atmosphere in order to better manage the water file and to obtain More water is obtained through planning and cooperation between the two sides, and I say that Iran is ready for more cooperation in this regard and will never increase water with Iraq.

Iraq is suffering from a "water war" waged against it by upstream countries, Iran and Turkey, which feed the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which are two main sources of water in Iraq. Iraqi officials in the federal government as well as in the Kurdistan Region have previously stated that Iran and Turkey are using the "water weapon" to pressure Iraq.

On several occasions, Iraqi officials concerned with the water file confirmed that Iran had cut off the water tributaries that feed the Tigris River, starting from the Lower Zab in Kirkuk, passing through the Sirwan River in Diyala, to central and southern Iraq.   LINK