Kurdistan Region cabinet approves 5 draft laws, including bill to create anti-ISIS court

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region Council of Ministers voted on Wednesday to approve five new draft laws, including one to establish a new criminal court specializing in the prosecution of those who carried out crimes as part of ISIS.

The bill will next be sent to the autonomous region's parliament where it will face a final vote by lawmakers before becoming law.

Various other bills were also approved at the weekly cabinet meeting, headed by regional Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and with the participation of Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, according to a statement.

In the first part of the meeting, Minister of Finance and Economy, Awat Sheikh Janab, and Planning Minister Dara Rashid presented a special report on the latest figures related to the region's budget bill for 2021.

Ministers then decided to form a committee to include the council’s observations and proposals for the draft laws before them in preparation for their approval.

In the second part of the meeting, Talabani reviewed the results of the special meeting on confronting drought, after which the council decided that a drought response plan would be prepared next week for discussion and then a vote "at the earliest opportunity."

Editing by John J. Catherine