Iraqi Parliament set to hold extraordinary session to pass 2021 budget

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi parliament will hold a critical session later today, Saturday, with the aim of passing the general federal budget for 2021.

Iraq’s federal parliament was scheduled to vote on the bill on Friday, but the session was postponed due to the ongoing discussions on contentious articles in the bill.

Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Qubad Talabani, led negotiations in Baghdad that lasted for months, seeking to reach an agreement on the autonomous Region's share of the budget.

The KRG delegation reached an agreement with the federal government in December, and the deal was included in the draft 2021 budget bill before sending it to parliament.

Read More: KRG, Baghdad reach deal on 2021 budget law: Deputy PM

However, the Finance Committee and Shiite parliamentary blocs objected to several articles, including those related to the Kurdistan Region, which has delayed the approval of the budget.

On Friday, according to Kurdistan 24 sources familiar with the negotiations, the KRG's delegation reached an agreement with the Parliamentary Finance Committee on Article 11 related to the Region's financial allocation, however, no details about the content of the agreement have been revealed yet.

Editing by Joanne Stocker-Kelly