“Messages and a long wait”… Citizens are dissatisfied with the procedures of “dollar banks” in Iraq

Shafaq News / Today, a number of citizens criticized the procedures of government and private banks concerned with exchanging the dollar at the official rate for specific groups for the purpose of traveling outside the country, while others expressed their dissatisfaction with the “poor organization”, the spread of nepotism and connections, and waiting for long hours in front of the buildings of those banks in which conditions prevail.

The citizen, “Ali”, who is a reviewer of a bank concerned with the exchange of dollars, told Shafaq News agency, “The situation is poor, and my wife and I have been waiting since four in the morning until now (2 in the afternoon) in order to obtain our share of the dollar according to the procedures announced by the government and applied by the banks.” Government, but we have not received anything yet,” indicating that “he is waiting for tomorrow’s travel date, and he is still waiting in line.”

The citizen adds that “he and his wife have registered their names to receive this share since yesterday, but to no avail, as a number of people enter through (the wasta), and others without registering names to receive these amounts.”

For his part, the citizen Ibrahim, who is also one of the auditors, told Shafaq News agency, “I have been waiting since nine in the morning without getting the prescribed share of the dollar, and from time to time one of the employees comes out to dictate a list of instructions to us and enters, while we arrived at 2:15 in the evening without registering.” Any progress in obtaining this quota for the purpose of traveling outside Iraq tomorrow.”

He adds, “I checked in other government branches, and the situation is a (farce) as well, as there may be fewer auditors in these branches by a slight difference, as there are about 90 people in front of the bank’s gate waiting to obtain the dollar assigned to them.”

And the citizen continues, “There is a clear misorganization, as it is supposed to organize the names of people who are in a hurry to get their quota due to travel conditions, and to register the names of those who have a space of time and the subject of their travel is postponed until the beginning of next week,” noting that “(Al-Wasatat) and (Group The Tahoe) and (certain women) entered before our eyes, received their money, and left while we waited for our turn.

And an informed source considered, today, Wednesday, that Al-Rashid Bank stopped handing over the dollar to travelers temporarily for three days, indicating that the quantity was depleted behind that, as the source indicated, that “the stop is considered temporary, and the dollar sale process will resume if the bank receives the next share scheduled for it from the bank.” central”.

On Friday, February 17, the official spokesman for the federal government, on behalf of Al-Awadi, announced the adoption of the official exchange rate of the dollar against the dinar at all Iraqi Airways outlets.

And the Central Bank of Iraq decided, last January, to include banks that are allowed to participate in the electronic platform and wishing to participate in selling cash dollars for the purposes of travel, treatment and study.

The bank directed government banks (Al-Rafidain – Al-Rasheed – Trade Bank of Iraq TBI) to expand outlets for selling cash dollars to travelers in the country’s airports (Baghdad – Basra – Najaf – Erbil – Sulaymaniyah).

It is noteworthy that the Central Bank, in cooperation with the federal government, issued strict instructions to limit the smuggling of hard currency outside the country.

Shafaq.com

Austin from Baghdad: Washington will continue to help strengthen the partnership

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin affirmed Washington’s commitment to maintaining its military presence in Iraq and strengthening partnership with Baghdad, during an unannounced visit to the Iraqi capital yesterday, after which he visited Erbil.

“The American forces are ready to stay in Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government,” Austin told reporters after his meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia’a al-Sudani. He added, “The United States will continue to consolidate and expand the partnership to support Iraq’s security, stability, and sovereignty.”

Later, Al-Sudani said in a statement that his government’s approach is to maintain balanced relations with governments in the region and the world, based on common interests and respect for sovereignty, adding that “Iraq’s stability is key to the region’s security and stability.”

According to current and former officials and experts, one of the goals of the US Secretary of Defense’s visit is to support the Iraqi prime minister in confronting Iranian influence in his country.

In a related context, US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf mentioned, in an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, that her country is aware that its partners in the Middle East region face real security threats, stressing that the US Central Command is working to establish an integrated security structure for the region, Saudi Arabia will be a central part of it.

The US official stressed the need to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, noting that Iran’s continued sending of drones and other weapons to Russia affects the security of the Gulf.

Rawabetcenter.com

State of Law: Al-Kazemi did not fight corruption, but rather sponsored and led it

Information / Baghdad… A member of the State of Law Coalition, Khaled Al-Saray, confirmed, on Tuesday, the involvement of former Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi in leading corruption mafias in Iraq, indicating that Al-Kazemi assigned 500 intelligence officers to manage his pages on social media.

Al-Saray said in a televised interview, followed by Al-Maalouma, that “Mustafa Al-Kadhimi did not fight corruption, but rather sponsored and participated in it, and that the current Prime Minister, Muhammad Shia’a Al-Sudani, refused more than once to meet him.”

He added, “The former prime minister is involved in a case affecting Iraqi security, as he assigned 500 officers and employees of the intelligence service to manage his pages on social media.”

He pointed out that “the previous government granted every journalist working to stoke discord between the coordination framework and the Sadrist movement, one million and 500 thousand dinars as a regular monthly salary, which reveals the size of the plot he was weaving against the country.”

Almaalomah.me

BGG ~ Am I the only one who gets the irony of anyone associated with, or in, or affiliated with the SLC, accusing anyone, ever, of corruption?!? Just stunning…

People close to Al-Halbousi were arrested at Baghdad airport on major corruption charges

Information / Anbar… A source in Anbar Governorate revealed, on Tuesday, the arrest of the Anbar retirement director and his assistant after they were lured into Baghdad for their involvement in major financial and administrative corruption operations amid secrecy by the Taqaddam Party headed by Muhammad al-Halbousi.

The source said, in a statement to Al-Maalouma, that “a security force arrested the director of Anbar retirement and a leader in the Taqaddam party, Anas Al-Alwani, while he was trying to travel to Jordan, hours after his assistant was arrested and lured to Baghdad, on the grounds that judicial orders were issued against those targeted, on the grounds of suspicions of financial and administrative corruption against him.” detainees.”

The source, who preferred to remain anonymous, added that “the force lured the two targets and then arrested them in Baghdad,” indicating that “the arrests were issued by one of the judicial courts in Baghdad, and they were handed over to the medical authority for interrogation by the Anti-Corruption Committee,” stressing that the influential political parties In the local Anbar government, the media kept silent about the arrest of the directors of those departments who belong to their parties.

Sheikh Ahmad al-Dulaimi, one of the sheikhs and notables of Anbar province, had admitted earlier that Parliament Speaker Muhammad al-Halbousi used his influence to prevent the prosecution of those involved in the theft of public money from his party.

Al-Dulaimi said in a statement to Al-Maalouma Agency, “The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Muhammad al-Halbousi, in coordination with influential parties in the central government, hid large files of corruption in the municipality, real estate registration, tax and retirement departments in Anbar Governorate, for fear that they would be referred to the judiciary, as they are leaders of the Taqaddam Party.”

Almaalomah.me

BGG ~ There seems to be a concerted effort to “dirty up” the former Speaker. I’m not completely sure why, but he apparently represents a direct threat to someone in some level of power.

The government announces sending the budget to Parliament at the end of this month

Information / Baghdad… The government spokesman, Basem Al-Awadi, set, on Tuesday, the date for the 2023 budget bill to reach Parliament.

Al-Awadi said in a statement, a copy of which the information received, that “the draft budget law for 2023 will be sent to the House of Representatives at the end of this month.”
And the head of the Strategic Planning and Federal Service Committee, Laila Al-Tamimi, revealed, on Tuesday, that the House of Representatives will soon receive the draft financial budget law for the year 2023 from the Council of Ministers.

Al-Tamimi said in an interview with Al-Maalouma Agency, “The Council of Ministers is preparing to send the draft financial budget law for the year 2023 to Parliament,” stressing that “its approval will not take long in Parliament.”

She added, “The financial ceiling of the budget is still uneven, but so far, in fact, we do not have accurate information in this regard until it reaches the House of Representatives.”
She pointed out that “the Sudanese government continues to implement some projects through the Food Security Law and make them continuous projects, which have reached a completion rate of 50%.”

And she continued, “These projects have been included in the budget, and during the next few days, a draft budget law will be sent to the House of Representatives.”

Almaalomah.me

An Iraqi political current defines 6 points for recovering looted money abroad

Information / Baghdad… A political movement identified 6 points for recovering looted Iraqi funds abroad, noting that they are estimated at hundreds of billions.

The head of the Bayariq al-Khair bloc, Muhammad Othman al-Khalidi, said in an interview with Al-Maalouma, that “there are no specific figures for the volume of Iraqi money smuggled abroad after 2003, but expectations indicate that it may reach hundreds of billions of dollars.”

He added, “Recovering the smuggled money is a legal right, but its paths are not easy, especially since that money has been melted into the economies of many countries and has become part of its activity for many years.”

He pointed out that “there are 6 important points that must be adopted in order to recover the looted funds, the most prominent of which is strengthening the relationship with Interpol and providing an integrated file with evidence on the amount of money and those involved in it, in addition to building strong paths of interests with an economic dimension with the countries to which the money smuggled in order to coordinate its recovery with The wanted persons through the principle of mutual interests, in addition to launching lawsuits and investing Baghdad’s relations in international and regional organizations in this direction.

He pointed out that “the recovery of the looted money must adopt bold decisions and reveal the secrets of the money and the names of those involved, and otherwise attempts to recover will remain ink on paper.”

Large amounts of money fled Iraq during the past years in mysterious circumstances, which were revealed by many political and parliamentary circles after 2003.

Almaalomah.me

The Central Bank clarifies the latest measures of the financial transfer platform and limiting the rise in the dollar

Information / Baghdad… Today, the Central Bank announced the start of expanding inclusion in entering the electronic platform, and while it indicated its continuation in issuing positive steps to facilitate foreign trade financing, it confirmed its communication with Chinese banks regarding dealing in the yuan currency.

The governor’s assistant said in a statement to the Iraqi News Agency, which was seen by the “information”, that “the Central Bank continues to follow the instructions previously issued to ensure the stability of the parallel exchange rate.”

He added, “A meeting was held with the banking sector, merchants, and factory owners to face challenges and overcome them,” noting that “the Central Bank began expanding the channels and entities covered by entering the electronic platform.”

He explained, “This is the first step, while continuing to issue positive steps to facilitate the financing of foreign trade or any sound official transfers abroad.”

He pointed out that “the measures taken can control the market,” calling on “citizens and project owners to review the official channels to obtain foreign currency, as for merchants, there are great facilities for them from banks to finance their foreign trade instead of other methods.”

He pointed out that “the recent decisions of the Council of Ministers mentioned dealing in dinars, so there is no justification for citizens to use foreign currency in local transactions.”

Regarding dealing in the Ioan, Khalaf stated, “There is continuous communication by the central bank with Chinese banks, in order to activate and allow merchants to transfer directly, meaning that the central bank delivers the dinar through banks, and the transfer is directly through the use of the Chinese currency, the yuan.”

Almaalomah.me

Al-Moussawi: Amendments to the election law will be passed comfortably in Parliament

Information / Baghdad… The representative of the State of Law Coalition, Jassim Al-Moussawi, confirmed that the State Administration Coalition will pass the amendments to the election law comfortably, especially after the law was read first and second, and only the final vote remains, pointing out that the coalition has the numerical majority to pass the amendments to the aforementioned law.

Al-Moussawi told Al-Maalouma, “The State Administration Coalition has the decision to proceed with the electoral denominator (St. Lego), as it insists on passing the 1.9 percentage for this system in order to hold the next elections according to this percentage.”

He added, “The State Administration Coalition was able to pass the amendment of the election law according to the aforementioned data, and is also able to vote on the amendments comfortably, especially with its numerical majority in parliament.”

And he indicated that “the amendments to the election law include the abolition of multiple constituencies and proceeding with one constituency, as the first and second readings of the amendment of the law have been completed, and only the final vote on the amendments remains.”

Almaalomah.me

Sudanese discuss with the delegation of the World Bank to support government reforms

Information / Baghdad… Today, Monday, the Prime Minister, Mohamed Shia Al-Sudani, discussed with the World Bank delegation ways of joint cooperation and support for the government’s plans.

And the media office of the Prime Minister stated, in a statement received by Al-Maalooma, that “Al-Sudani received, this morning, Monday, the Regional Director for the Mashreq Countries at the World Bank, Jean-Christophe Carré, and his accompanying delegation.”

He added, “The meeting discussed various aspects of cooperation between Iraq and the World Bank, ways to support the growing indicators of the Iraqi economy, and government efforts in this framework, as well as an emphasis on cooperation in the field of banking reform adopted by the government, and areas for enhancing progress in addressing service and reform priorities.” pursued by the government programme.

He pointed out, “The meeting discussed opportunities for financial cooperation in supporting social protection programs that have witnessed a comprehensive expansion, as well as areas of supporting the transport sector in Iraq, and government plans to expand the infrastructure in it.”

Almaalomah.me

Al-Salihi: Four corruption files are being investigated in conjunction with the theft of the century

Information / Baghdad… On Monday, the representative of the Al-Fateh Alliance bloc, Rafik Al-Salihi, revealed the most important corruption files that are being investigated in conjunction with the opening of the case of the theft of the century, indicating that the investigations are being conducted in an accurate and fair manner, and close associates of former Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi have been summoned for their involvement in corruption.

Al-Salihi said, in a statement to Al-Maalouma, that “the investigations into the case of theft of the century are proceeding rapidly, and many of those involved have been revealed, the latest of which was the issuance of the investigation report and the arrest of close associates of former Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi.”

He added, “We are seriously following up on the progress of the investigations by Parliament, and we will not accept any delay, obstruction or procrastination in order to uncover the real people involved and recover the stolen funds in full.”

He added, “Parliamentary committees follow up on a daily basis large corruption files that have long been included in the committee’s inclusion in previous sessions,” revealing “the most important files, which are the state real estate file, as well as the file of theft and smuggling of Basra oil, ports and border crossings.”

And the representative of the Al-Fateh Alliance, Ali Turki, had called in a statement to / information /, the integrity to tighten control by the investigation department of the Integrity Commission.

Almaalomah.me