Iraqi Supreme Court rejects sacked Finance Minister's appeal
The Supreme Court of Iraq on Tuesday rejected Hoshyar Zebari’s appeal regarding his sacking as Finance Minister by the Iraqi parliament.
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The Supreme Court of Iraq on Tuesday rejected Hoshyar Zebari’s appeal regarding his sacking as Finance Minister by the Iraqi parliament.
On Sep. 21, the Iraqi parliament withdrew confidence from Zebari as the Finance Minister after 158 Members of Parliament voted in favor of the decision.
On the same day, Zebari made a complaint to the Supreme Court regarding the manner of his dismissal stating the Parliament had violated one of the articles within the Iraqi constitution.
The spokesman of the Federal Judicial Authority, Judge Abdul-Sattar Bayrakdar, revealed the court had reviewed Zebari’s complaint and rejected that the move was unconstitutional.
Zebari, 63-years-old, became the Finance Minister of Iraq following the formation of the government’s new federal cabinet in 2014.
The Parliament of Iraq discharged him after he was accused of corruption in his ministry.
He also previously served as the Foreign Relations Minister of Iraq from 2006 until 2014.
Zebari was not the only minister fired from his position. On Aug. 25, the Parliament withdrew confidence from the Iraqi Defense Minister Khalid al-Obeidi.
A total of 142 lawmakers in the assembly voted for the withdrawal of confidence from Obeidi while 102 lawmakers were against the move.
The decision came after Obeidi was questioned in the Parliament for allegations brought against him involving weapon contracts corruption.
Iraq is currently experiencing a financial, political, and security turmoil.
The issues come at a time where its military forces continue to push the Islamic State out of Mosul, the second-largest city in the country.
Editing by Karzan Sulaivany