“Reconstruction and Development”: No decisive agreement yet to complete Al-Zidi’s ministerial cabinet
The head of the “Reconstruction and Development” bloc, Bahaa al-Araji, confirmed on Thursday that there is no decisive agreement between the active political blocs to complete the current ministerial formation headed by Prime Minister Ali al-Zubaidi.
Al-Araji said during a press conference held in the parliament building in the presence of a correspondent from Shafaq News Agency, “There is no decisive agreement yet to complete the cabinet, and we need to resolve the issue of the vacant ministries as soon as possible,” calling on the council presidency to hold a special session to vote on them. WashingtonNews Updates
Al-Araji urged the political blocs to unite their ranks, noting that “the next stage is dangerous and requires finding a solid foundation for understanding and dialogue,” while pointing out that the regional conflict between Washington and Tehran has negatively affected the Iraqi reality due to the worsening oil export crisis and the deterioration of the energy and services sectors.
This statement comes in conjunction with what an informed source revealed last Saturday, that the political forces that did not complete their government quotas according to the electoral entitlement have begun forming internal committees to sort and study the names of candidates for the remaining portfolios.
The source told Shafaq News Agency that “the State of Law Coalition, led by Nouri al-Maliki, and through its internal committee concerned with nominating candidates for the Ministry of Interior, is currently studying the resumes of six candidates, including former minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari and Lieutenant General Qasim Atta. However, the latter is facing difficulty in passing his nomination due to a local and regional veto against him, despite pressure from some parties to pass it.”
The source added that “the list also includes technocrat candidates, among them a lieutenant general with a doctorate from the Ministry of Interior’s staff and a long history in security service, as well as independent figures,” noting that “the Ministry of Higher Education falls under the State of Law entitlement as well, while the Ministry of Youth and Sports will be allocated to the Wisdom Movement, and the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs to the Sadiqun bloc.”
It is worth noting that the Iraqi parliament voted on May 14 to grant confidence to Ali al-Zaidi’s government and its ministerial program with 14 ministers, while the vote on the remaining 9 ministries was postponed due to continued disagreements over the distribution of portfolios, amid reports indicating international warnings against the inclusion of armed factions in the new formation.
Shafaq.com