Iraq's budget approval looms as critical hours tick away

Last Update: 2023-06-08 00:00:00 - Source: Shafaq News

Shafaq News / In a race against time, the remaining lifespan of Iraq's trilateral federal budget diminishes to a mere three hours, specifically from 9 pm to midnight. Failure to pass the budget within this timeframe will plunge Iraq into a state of uncertainty.

Political factions are preparing, or so it seems, to approve the budget this evening, although the scheduled time for approval at 8 pm appears to be further delayed to an unspecified time later in the day.

The missing or obscured piece of information is that this "enormous" budget's legal lifespan extends only for three hours, precisely from 9 pm to midnight. If not ratified within this timeframe, the Parliament will officially enter its legislative recess, necessitating a session to extend the legislative term by an additional month, commencing tomorrow. This scenario poses a "legal predicament" for the budget if it fails to be approved within the day.

Sources reveal to Shafaq News Agency that "any parliamentary session held after midnight will be legally problematic and subject to challenges since the Parliament effectively enters its legislative recess."

The sources further add that there is another issue at hand, involving the desire of 80 deputies to perform the Hajj pilgrimage during the parliamentary recess.