KDP and PUK Leaderships Discuss Crises

[Anthea]

BAS News

KDP and PUK Leaderships Discuss Crises

The sides emphasised on Kurdish unity to overcome the hardships

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) held a meeting on Sunday, March 6, to discuss the current political, security and financial crisis faced by the Kurdistan Region.

Praising the role of Kurdish Peshmerga forces fighting the Islamic State (IS) insurgents, the sides reiterated that such challenges must unify Kurds further as they have passed through harder situations before.

Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani was leading the meeting.

The two major Kurdish parties also reviewed the current crisis in the region, emphasising that solving the political crisis will pave the path to overcome other security and financial hardships.

Despite the difference between the political parties, KDP and PUK stressed out that they must remain united to maintain the Kurdish achievements.

According to a joint statement released by the parties, they have agreed to take essential steps to re-activate the Kurdistan Region Parliament and improve the governing system of the Kurdistan Region.

KDP and PUK are expected to continue the meetings in hopes of addressing the crisis in the region.

http://www.basnews.com/index.php/en/new ... tan/262820

[Anthea]

BAS News

KDP and PUK May Establish ‘Majority Government’

The two major parties planning to reactivate the parliament and re-form KRG

After a bilateral meeting between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) last Sunday, the sides agreed to form a majority government if other Kurdish political parties showed no interests to take part.

A source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told BasNews that the KDP and PUK throughly discussed the current political crisis in Kurdistan Region which has led to a suspension in Parliament sessions as well as issues pertaining to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

According to the source, PUK insists that Gorran (Change Movement) will not return back to the government, therefore, the KDP should offer them another chance in order to leave them with no excuses, but the proposal was rejected by KDP, reiterating that Gorran won’t be allowed again to enjoy participation in the government and standing against KRG’s achievements at the same time.

Regarding the establishment of a majority government, PUK has asked for more positions and KDP is expected to show consent, the source claimed.

The Two major Kurdish parties will be discussing practical steps in the upcoming meetings to reactivate the Kurdistan Region Parliament, re-form the government and find a solution to the acute fiscal crisis in the region.

KDP leading member, Ali Hussein, told BasNews that the meetings are expected to continue as both KDP and PUK realise their popular and political positions, and they are attempting to fulfil their responsibilities.

“The two parties, only together, will be able to stabilise the situation,” Hussein added. “But they both insist on other Kurdish parties to take part in the political process in the region.”

http://www.basnews.com/index.php/en/new ... tan/263144

[Anthea]

NRT

Islamic Movement, Gorran go on strike in Kurdistan's Parliament

The Change Movement (Gorran) and the Kurdistan Islamic Movement went on strike on Tuesday (March demanding reactivation following a meeting by parliament blocs over the legislature’s months-long recess.

Gorran announced a decision to go on strike during a press conference calling for the various blocs to take serious action to bring legitimacy back to parliament. Gorran will remain in the parliament building for the duration of the strike.

“We emphasize our determination and we will remain in the parliament building on strike for two days,” the head of the Gorran bloc in parliament, Birzo Majid, said.

The various blocs in Kurdistan’s Parliament held a meeting on Tuesday to issue a final statement regarding the political stalemate.

The Kurdistan Islamic Movement as well as Gorran said Tuesday’s meeting had not ended with a conclusive resolution.

The head of the Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU) bloc in Kurdistan’s Parliament, Abu Bakir Haladni, said Gorran had gone on strike due to arguments between parliament blocs over parliament’s reactivation.

Tuesday’s meeting marked the second gathering of Parliamentary blocs in a week. A group of 17 different factions held a meeting in Erbil last week to discuss the differing opinions on the political deadlock that has prevented MPs from holding sessions.

MPs said they would hold a follow-up meeting and push more for parliament reactivation.

Parliament has been in recess since October 2015 when a ninth round of failed talks on the presidency sparked violent protests in cities and towns across the region’s eastern cities and towns. Angry protesters torched a number of KDP offices in those areas, for which the party blamed the Change Movement (Gorran).

In the following days, Kurdistan Parliament Speaker Yousif Mohammed was blocked from entering Erbil, and Gorran ministers were sacked from the cabinet.

http://www.nrttv.com/EN/Details.aspx?Jimare=5745

[Anthea]

In recent years I have noticed that the Change Movement (Gorran), have become more of a hindrance than a help in Kurdistan's struggle for unity and independence

It is well known that many of Massoud Barzani's advisor’s and paid by outside interests seeking to curtail Kurdistan's move towards independence

I now firmly believe that many in Gorran are also being paid for by those same outside interests, to cause disruption within the Kurdish political arena as possible

[Anthea]

NRT

KRG officials hold meeting to discuss employee salaries

Senior officials from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) met in Erbil on Wednesday (March 9) to discuss strategies to resolve crises affecting the region, as well as growing discontent with a recently announced system of salary payment for public employees.

NRT correspondent in Erbil, Rebwar Kakaiy, said KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani, Deputy PM Qubad Talabani and Natural Resources Minister Ashti Hawrami as well as Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Rabar Sadiq attended the meeting at the Council of Ministries building in the region’s capital city.

Leaders were expected to discuss the new payment system, by which KRG employee salaries will be cut by as much as 75 percent, depending on position and pay grade. The amount cut from each worker will then be credited at a later time.

Widespread strikes and peaceful demonstrations have become commonplace in the region, with government employees calling on the KRG to pay delayed wages in full.

Officials however say that expenditures have greatly overshadowed the region’s income and that more needs to be done to close the gap.

Speaking at a financial reform conference in January, KRG deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani said the Kurdistan Region’s monthly budget deficit had reached roughly $406 million, while the government needs over $780 million just to pay wages for the 1.4 million people on its payroll.

The KRG has relied on a pipeline to export its crude to Ceyhan port in Turkey in order to earn an income. That pipeline has been offline since February 17, after claims of attacks and acts of sabotage by the KRG.

The region’s Ministry of Natural Resources released its monthly report on March 7 that stated exports via Ceyhan in February generated $303,943,433.

Revenue was down significantly over previous months as a result of the pipeline shut down, further threatening the region’s economic situation.

http://www.nrttv.com/EN/Details.aspx?Jimare=5761