Al-Hakim: Consultations are underway to hold an emergency session to decide on the remaining ministerial portfolios.
The head of the National State Forces Alliance, Ammar al-Hakim, announced on Wednesday that Iraqi political forces and parties are conducting intensive consultations to decide on the remaining seats in the government cabinet by holding an emergency session of the House of Representatives, given that there is a mandatory legislative recess that lasts from the beginning of June until July 1st.
Al-Hakim said during a press conference he held in Al-Muthanna Governorate that it is possible to cut short this holiday with an emergency session, in addition to the fact that many members of the council have gone to the holy lands to perform the Hajj pilgrimage, and we are waiting for their return to proceed with completing the government headed by Prime Minister Ali Al-Zidi.
The Iraqi parliament voted on May 14 to grant confidence to the government of Ali Faleh al-Zaidi and its ministerial program with 14 ministers, while the vote on the remaining 9 ministries was postponed until after the Eid al-Adha holiday due to the continuation of political disputes over the distribution of portfolios, amid reports of international warnings against the inclusion of armed factions in the new ministerial formation.
On another front, Al-Hakim renewed his support and praise for the steps taken to restrict weapons to the state, considering this a constitutional and legal entitlement that cannot be reversed.
The head of the State Forces Alliance welcomed the “rapid response” of the Peace Brigades, the military wing of the Shiite National Movement led by Muqtada al-Sadr, and Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, headed by its Secretary-General Qais al-Khazali, in addition to the “Imam Ali” Brigades, in handing over their weapons to the state, expecting that other factions will respond soon, and noting that there are armed factions that prefer to hand over weapons at the beginning of next September with the end of the mission of the international coalition against ISIS led by the United States of America and its departure from Iraq.
This position coincides with the authorization granted by the Coordination Framework, which includes the Shiite political forces, on Monday evening to the Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Ali al-Zubaidi, to take the decisions and measures necessary to preserve the country’s higher interests, while simultaneously announcing its support for the project to restrict weapons to the state and to separate the Popular Mobilization Forces from all political, partisan, and social frameworks.
Shafaq.com