Politics

KRG Council of Ministers discuss Iraqi court's ruling on the Kurdistan Region's oil and gas sector

The meeting will also include a briefing about Prime Minister Barzani's recent visit to Qatar and his participation in this year's Munich Security Conference (MSC-2022).

Dler S. Mohammed 2022/02/23 12:18

Kurdistan Prime Minister Masrour Barzani chairing a KRG Council of Ministers meeting. (Photo: KRG)

Iraq KRG Oil and Gas KRG council of ministers Masrour Barzani Iraqi Federal Supreme Court

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Council of Ministers of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) convened on Wednesday to discuss the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court's recent ruling on the KRG's oil and gas sector.

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, and the KRG cabinet ministers are attending this meeting.

According to the agenda, the meeting will also include a briefing about Prime Minister Barzani's recent visit to Qatar and his participation in this year's Munich Security Conference (MSC-2022).

The contentious ruling by the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court (FSC) is also being discussed.

On Feb. 15, the FSC ruled that the Kurdistan Parliament's oil and gas law is not constitutional.

The Kurdistan Parliament, the KRG, and Kurdish and Iraqi political leaders all issued statements denouncing the court's ruling.

"The Federal Supreme Court (FSC) decision is unfair, unconstitutional, against the rights and the constitutional authorities of the Kurdistan Region and this is not acceptable," read the KRG statement issued on Feb. 16. "The FSC should have further investigated the case and took the demands of the people of Kurdistan into consideration."

"The FSC's decision contradicts the principles of the federal system and the constitutional articles," the statement added. "These kinds of decisions and way of thinking cause significant damage to the federal system, governing process, and citizenship rights in Iraq."

Kurdish political leaders and legislators described the FSC's decision as "politicized".

Two days after the FSC's decision, Iraq's National Security Council requested that the Iraqi Oil Ministry work closely with the KRG and set a timetable for resolving the oil and gas issue based on the constitution.