Budget Delay: The Cry For Help For Paralyzed Services And Disrupted Dreams, 11 MAY

 Budget Delay: The Cry For Help For Paralyzed Services And Disrupted Dreams

May 9, 2024  Baghdad/Al-Masala Al-Hadath: In light of the delay in approving the federal state budget for 2024, Iraq faces major challenges in the field of public services and infrastructure.

The size of the proposed budget is about 228 trillion dinars, and includes more than 1,300 development and service projects.

According to Iraqi law, the budget must be approved three months before the end of the fiscal year. It is expected that the budget items will be voted on in the Council of Ministers soon, and then they will be sent to Parliament for study and a final vote.

In June 2023, the Iraqi Parliament voted on the federal budget law for the years 2023, 2024, and 2025, which is a historic step for the country. However, the budget faces delays due to disagreements regarding the value of projects and the level of investment spending, and also due to disagreements in the allocations of ministries and governorate budgets that are not linked to the region.

The Finance Committee in the Iraqi Parliament holds the government responsible for the delay in sending the budget to the Council for study and final vote, as the committee needs to know the details of the financial disbursement and the laws that have been added to the budget.

The continuing delays in approving the budget raise fears of irrational spending and corruption in upcoming projects, as some reports indicate that there are parties aiming to benefit from the huge funds through the ministries under their control or through front projects.

Reliable sources indicate that some Iraqi parties are enthusiastic about approving the budget for the current year 2024. This enthusiasm is due to obtaining funding, as some parties control important government ministries, and approving the budget means ensuring the continued flow of funds to these ministries, allowing them to implement projects and programs that serve their interests and bases. Electoral .

Major budget projects, such as infrastructure projects, are used as a tool to distribute benefits to contractors and companies linked to some parties, which contributes to enhancing their influence and influence.

Iraq faces serious challenges in the field of development and improving infrastructure, and delaying the approval of the budget reinforces these challenges and hinders the country’s progress towards sustainable development and the well-being of citizens.

The Iraqi government and parliament must work quickly and adopt appropriate decisions to complete the budget and implement projects. Reuters: Delaying the Iraqi budget hinders the implementation of projects and opens the door to corruption.  https://almasalah.com/archives/90467