ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - As Kurdish parties inch closer towards an agreement on forming a new Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) cabinet the Turkmen Development Party said on Thursday that they have been granted the post of deputy speaker of parliament.
“The Turkmen will meet together and appoint someone for the post of second deputy speaker of the Kurdistan parliament.” Leader of the Turkmen Development Party Mohammed Saadadin told Rudaw.
Saadadin argued that their two parliamentary seats qualify them for this post and that only “Turkmen should decide who fills the post, not others.”
He revealed that the post of deputy speaker of parliament went to them after holding talks with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) as the winner of the last September 30 elections with 45 seats.
“We have decided that the post of speaker of parliament is for the PUK, the deputy speaker for the KDP and second deputy speaker for the Turkmen,” Hemin Hawrami, head of the KDP bloc in the Kurdistan Parliament told reporters.
The Kurdish parliament is set to convene on February 18 before which the KDP hopes the Turkmen groups have chosen their candidate of choice to fill the post.
“We hope the Turkmen decide on a single candidate before February 18.” KDP Member of Parliament Omed Khoshnaw told Rudaw.
Aidn Maruf, the leader of the Turkmen Front welcomed today’s announcement as a positive move and the recognition of the rights of the Turkmen community.
“Giving the post of the second deputy speaker to the Turkmen is very important to us,” he said. “We believe it is paying attention to the rights of Turkmen in the Kurdistan Region.”
Four Turkmen parties hold five parliamentary seats allocated as part of the quota system for minority representation.
“So far no Turkmen party has officially put forward any candidates for the position.” Maruf added.