Gorran, KIG boycott the reactivation session of Kurdistan Parliament

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – Parties calling for the postponement of the Kurdistan Region referendum on independence, announced on Friday that they would boycott the reactivation session of the Parliament too.

After the dismantlement of the Kurdistan Region Parliament in late 2015, most parties decided to reactivate it and hold a special session on the upcoming independence referendum scheduled for Sep. 25.

Gorran (Change), which is the second largest party in the Kurdistan Region, via its spokesperson Shoresh Haji announced that they have decided to boycott the session, stating the reactivation process does not meet the legal framework and has no national concession on the step.

Kurdistan Islamic Group (KIG) is another party in the Region with six seats in the parliament, which also announced through the KIG head of parliamentary faction Marwan Galalayi that their boycott is related to two reasons: lack of a consensus between all parties and the subjects of the discussion that should have been determined by the Parliament Speaker.

The session will be held at 7:00 pm local time by the request of over 60 members of the Kurdistan Region Parliament.

The Parliament leadership will be formed and reactivated by Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU).

The convening of the Parliament comes 10 days ahead of the historic vote where the people of the Kurdistan Region will decide on either remaining part of Iraq or secede as a new independent state.

The reactivation of the parliament has been considered by the Kurdish parties as a crucial step to provide a more legal framework for the independence referendum.

Editing by Ava Homa