Kurdistan24 Exclusive: Iraqi Lawmaker Says Previous Government Plundered Iraq
Islamic Union MP Muthanna Amin says Iraq's anti-corruption campaign is essential to restoring the country's finances and institutions, while alleging widespread corruption under the previous government.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - An Iraqi lawmaker from the Islamic Union faction has voiced support for Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's anti-corruption campaign, describing it as an urgent national necessity to rescue Iraq from what he called a deep financial and economic crisis caused by years of corruption.
Speaking during Kurdistan24's news bulletin on Thursday, Iraqi Parliament member Muthanna Amin said the campaign extends beyond the prime minister's personal agenda, arguing that it is a critical step toward addressing Iraq's deteriorating economic situation.
Amin alleged that Iraq's previous government had "looted" the country's resources, leaving the current administration without sufficient funds to pay public sector salaries.
He claimed the government has consequently been forced to borrow from the Central Bank of Iraq to meet its financial obligations.
"Iraq is a country whose revenues could sustain three countries if managed with clean hands," Amin said. "But because of corruption, the country has been deprived of basic services, while the issue of salaries has become a source of uncertainty and psychological instability for citizens."
Discussing the anti-corruption drive, Amin said he believes there is international backing for the campaign, particularly from the United States and other countries.
According to the lawmaker, the objectives of the campaign extend beyond economic reform and also include political dimensions and efforts to reform parts of Iraq's political landscape.
Amin also alleged that some political parties have benefited from political favoritism, specifically referring to the Sunni Taqaddum Party.
"The Speaker of Parliament should have lifted parliamentary immunity from lawmakers facing allegations," he said, adding that there may be political understandings aimed at securing the Speaker's cooperation.
He clarified, however, that under Iraq's legislative procedures, parliamentary immunity can only be lifted through a vote inside parliament and that the Speaker alone does not possess the authority to make such a decision.
The lawmaker said the anti-corruption campaign began on a limited scale but is expected to broaden.
He further claimed that foreign intelligence agencies had assisted by providing information that helped expose corruption cases which, according to him, domestic institutions had previously avoided pursuing because of their sensitivity.