Editing by G.H. Renaud
Gorran rejects KDP, PUK offer to reactivate parliament by changing leadership
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – On Wednesday, the Kurdish Gorran (Change Movement) party rejected the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan's (PUK) offer to reactivate the Kurdistan Parliament under the condition that the entire leadership of the parliament be replaced.
Following deliberations, Gorran released a statement insisting on the reactivation of parliament while maintaining the same leadership staff.
The Kurdistan Parliament was disassembled on Oct 2015 following tensions between the KDP and Gorran over the presidency of the Kurdistan Region. Since then, Parliamentary Speaker Yousif Mohammed, a member of Gorran, has been removed and prevented from entering parliament. The KDP, the largest party in Parliament, accused him and his party of inciting riots in the Kurdistan Region.
On Monday, the KDP and PUK met in Erbil and agreed to reactivate parliament with the former leadership staff still in place, but with the condition of electing new candidates for the leadership positions for the second session. Gorran rejected the plan.
“We cannot accept any mechanisms normalizing the situation nor the reactivation of parliament with conditions,” Gorran declared in a statement.
The party also mentioned that the dissolution of parliament was not due to the parliament's leadership, but the legal maneuvering of the Kurdistan Region Presidency and parliament’s attempt to amend the presidency law.
The party claims that any steps taken without changing the governing system and presenting meaningful financial and administrative reforms, and proper monitoring of the government's work would put the Kurdistan Region's future at risk.
Gorran is the second-largest party in the Kurdistan Region with 24 seats in the 111-seat assembly, following the KDP's 38 seats.
The Kurdistan Islamic Group (KIG) party, which held the post of the Secretary of the Parliament, also rejected the offer in a press conference on Wednesday. The party has six seats in the Kurdistan Region Parliament.
On June 7, Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani announced the independence referendum would be held on Sep. 25, 2017.
