Erbil and Washington stress respect for Kurdistan Region's entity and financial rights
Shafaq News/ The Prime Minister ?f the Kurdistan Region Masrour Barzani and the United States Ambassador t? Iraq Alina Romanowski emphasized the importance ?f respecting the federal entity ?f the Kurdistan Region (KRI).
Barzani affirmed that "the Region has fulfilled all its constitutional obligations, and therefore, there can be n? justification for any violation ?f its rights clearly stipulated ?n the constitution."
The meeting emphasized the "necessity ?f respecting the federal entity ?f Kurdistan and sending its financial rights through the Regional Government”, ?n addition t? discussing the progress ?f the banking (My Account) process.
On her part, Romanowski expressed her "full support for resolving the issues between KRI and the federal government through dialogue and under the umbrella ?f the constitution." The meeting also discussed the importance ?f holding parliamentary elections ?n Kurdistan.
In this regard, PM Barzani stressed that they have been ?n favor ?f "holding elections for two years, and will renew their support for holding legal, legitimate, and constitutional elections under conditions that ensure their legitimacy, integrity, and transparency."
At the end ?f the meeting, both sides agreed ?n the necessity ?f overcoming the obstacles and challenges hindering the electoral process.
On Wednesday, KRI’s Nechirvan Barzani and the British Ambassador t? Iraq Stephen Hitchen also emphasized the "importance ?f holding parliamentary elections ?n the Region and resolving issues with Baghdad through dialogue."
Last February, Iraq's Supreme Court issued rulings related t? the Kurdistan Region's election law.
The court declared that a specific article concerning the minority quota ?n KRG's provincial election law was deemed "unconstitutional." This article, part ?f a law initially adopted ?n 1992 and revised ?n 2013, mandates 11 quota seats ?n the Regional parliament for ethnic and religious minorities. In response, Turkmen and Christian parties withdrew from the elections.
Furthermore, the verdict stated that Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission will take over from KRG's electoral commission t? supervise parliamentary elections, which are anticipated t? occur next June.
The decision also divided Kurdistan into four constituencies, Al-Sulaymaniya, Erbil, Duhok, and Halabja instead ?f the single-constituency system ?n previous elections.
