Sulaimani-Governor-Aso-Faraidoon-Mar-16-2016-nrt

Published by Ekurd 25 May 2016

SULAIMANI, Kurdistan region ‘Iraq’,— Decentralization and greater self-governance in Iraqi Kurdistan Region’s provinces would help solve the ongoing political and economic crises, Sulaimani Governor Aso Faraidoon said in a press conference on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters in Sulaimani, Faraidoon blamed the crises on a legal vacuum in the region as the Kurdistan Parliament has been in recess since October 2015, but said decentralization would not mean a break-up for the region.

“Self-governance doesn’t mean two administrations,” Faraidoon said, referring to the era before 2005 when administration of the region’s three governorates was split between the two major parties, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).

“Administrative and economic self-governance is a solution step for the crisis,” he added.

Kurdish authorities have made moves towards decentralization, as Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani formed a committee earlier this year to implement a devolution of power, although it has yet to begin work.

Head of Erbil Provincial Council Ali Rashid echoed Faraidoon’s statement and told NRT that the government needs to transfer power to the governorates in order to get things done.

“Now, it is time to implement decentralization,” Rashid said. “We will be able monitor institutions and the provinces to reduce routine and carry out duties better.”

 Head of Sulaimani Provincial Council Haval Abubakir, however is not optimistic that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) will implement a system of self-governance.

“The KRG’s prime minister, deputy prime minister and former economic and financial minister supported decentralization when they visited the Sulaimani,” Abubakir said, “but it remains just talk as no serious steps have been taken.”

Senior Kurdistan Regional Government officials in Erbil have long been accused of corruption or taking government money.

Copyright ©, respective author or news agency, nrttv.com | Ekurd.net

F
E
E
D

B
A
C
K