Barzani helps anti-corruption committee

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – President of the Kurdistan Region Masoud Barzani will assist the Reform Committee and investigate officials involved in corruption, stated a top Kurdish official on Friday.

On March 1, President Barzani discussed several reform-related processes and mechanisms that will be used to fight corruption. He spoke to members of the Kurdistan Region Government (KRG) Judicial Council, Integrity Commission, Financial Observation Diwan as well as judges from several cities and towns.

"Fighting corruption and implementing [reforms] is a sacred national duty, an urgent project, and requires support from the people of Kurdistan," said Barzani. He will stand against anyone who is an obstacle to the plan, according to the Kurdistan Regional Presidency (KRP) Press Office.

On Friday, in a statement to Kurdistan24, a Spokesperson for the KRP, Umed Sabah, stated that President Barzani will personally interfere if the reform committee is hindered in any way.

“Whenever the reform committee faces obstacles or is prevented from implementing reforms or investigating any cases, President Barzani will personally interfere and provide necessary support to continue the required investigation,” Sabah explained.

“Just like how we [KRG] achieved successes in combating Da’esh, we should also succeed in battling corruption in the Region,” he added, using the Arabic pejorative term for the Islamic State.

Additionally, head of Kurdistan Integrity Commission (KIC) Ahmad Anwar told Kurdistan24 that law should be above everyone and identically implemented on all regardless of their official posts.

“The danger of corruption is no less than the threat of terrorism. If we do not face corruption, this disease might cause [bigger] problems in the Kurdistan Region if not [properly] dealt with,” Anwar added.

On Feb. 10, President Barzani announced several reforms in the KRG aiming to rescue the Kurdistan Region from its critical financial crises.

Reporting by Goran Shakhawan and Mewan Dolamari

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany and Benjamin Kweskin