PM Barzani lays the foundation stone for two important projects in Halabja

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Thursday in a ceremony laid the foundation stone for the Halabja-Tuwaqut-Qalija road and the Tuwaqut bridge.

During the ceremony, Prime Minister Barzani delivered remarks, addressing outstanding issues in the Kurdistan Region.

The Prime Minister began his speech by expressing his happiness to lay the foundation stone for these projects and called Halabja “the city of martyrs.”

“Halabja, Sharazur and Hawraman regions have an important and special position in Kurdistan because they were a prominent center of intellectuals, scholars, poets, writers, artists, religious, social and patriotic personalities in Kurdistan,” Barzani stressed.

He also stated that he is proud to see that the rate of violence against women in Halabja is lower than in the whole of the Kurdistan Region.

“Halabja is a fertile region. For example, the pomegranate of Halabja has gained a lot of popularity recently,” the premier added and noted, “Fortunately, last year we were able to export Kurdistan pomegranates, especially Halabja pomegranates, which are now known in the Gulf markets and abroad as a brand of Kurdistan’s agricultural products.”

Regarding the Halabja genocide, Barzani emphasized that “Although most of the perpetrators of the chemical attack on Halabja were punished, what is very worrying is that the Iraqi federal government has not been willing to compensate the victims of the former Ba'ath regime according to the constitution. Halabja is the most obvious example of the brutal crimes of the Ba'ath regime.”

He underlined that these atrocities must not be forgotten.

Concerning Halabja governorate status, the Prime Minister called on the Iraqi political parties, the federal government and members of the House of Representatives “not to ignore this issue and not to use it as a political game and a budget must be provided by the Iraqi government for further reconstruction of Halabja.”

He also urged the Iraqi government to fulfill its “moral and constitutional responsibilities, as well as compensate the families of the martyrs of Halabja.”