Kurdistan Region overcame a difficult year: Officials
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The Kurdistan Region President congratulated people of Kurdistan for the New Year and called upon political parties to resolve the Region issues.
Masoud Barzani, President of the Kurdistan Region, in a statement released on the Presidency website on Saturday, thanked the people of the Kurdistan Region for enduring the challenges that faced the Region in 2016 and for their support of the Peshmerga forces in defeating terrorism.
“2016 was a difficult year for our nation. The continued budget cut by the Iraqi government, decrease of oil prices, war expenses and sheltering hundreds of thousands of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and refugees put a strain on our economy,” President Barzani added in the statement.
“Kurdistan is a strong and vital nation that can use its resources in the best way, and I am sure that these difficult times will be over, and a very prosperous future awaits it,” the statement read.
President Barzani added that besides defeating Islamic State (IS) extremists and liberating the Kurdistan soul, 2016 was full of political achievements for Kurdistan.
Elsewhere, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) congratulated the people of Kurdistan Region for the new year and stated that the Region has been through difficult times.
“Despite diplomatic and military victories, we have passed through another difficult year of crises facing Kurdistan. With everyone’s efforts in Kurdistan, we will resolve all the issues to continue working in the development of Kurdistan,” the KRG statement added.
In addition, Masrour Barzani, the Chancellor of the Kurdistan Region Security Council in his New Year message stated that 2016 was difficult for Kurdistan and its people. In spite of numerous challenges, the people of Kurdistan remained undeterred in their call to succeed.”
“I am confident the Near Year will begin with renewed strength by the people of Kurdistan to overcome differences, crises, and enemies, and I hope it is the year of Kurdistan's Independence,” Chancellor Barzani added.
Editing by Ava Homa