Report: The scenario of ‘sacrifice’ began, Bouziri Abdul Mahdi … and approaching al-Maliki happened in itself!

A press report, Friday, sheds light on the new procedures in the files of holding the killers of demonstrators accountable and fighting corruption, against the backdrop of government pledges to prosecute those involved in acts of violence, confront corruption and protect state resources.

The report, which was published by the London newspaper Al-Arrab, and which was followed by “People”, (September 4, 2020), linked the summoning of the defense and interior ministers in the government of former Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, who are the most senior officials to be summoned to investigate the violence that accompanied the protests, and the measures taken by the bank The central right of officials, including Yasser Sakhel, son-in-law of the State of Law coalition, Nouri al-Maliki.

The text of the report follows:

On Thursday, the Iraqi judiciary announced the summoning of the former interior and defense ministers to investigate the killing of protesters during the months-long popular protests, in the most prominent development in this embarrassing case for the Iraqi authorities, which is seen as a measure of the state’s seriousness and its ability to reduce the phenomenon of impunity and impunity. Which has always been a manifestation of its weakness and declining prestige.

The government of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi says that it is serious about imposing law, fighting corruption and ending the chaos of weapons, but many doubt its ability to do so, given the presence of powerful forces of armed parties and militias that the state is contesting its powers and directing its policies away from prejudice to the interests of the leaders and leaders of these forces Those involved in corruption and those involved in major crimes, including the killing of protesters and the assassination of leaders of the popular movement that has continued since the fall of last year and harassing them.
Iraqi activists have often doubted the possibility of accountability for the killing of protesters and militia leaders, and it is likely that it will be limited only to state officials and some security leaders.

A few days ago, the Al-Kazemi government issued an indication that the accountability process could reach circles close to influential figures, when announcing the decision of the Central Bank of Iraq to freeze the assets of nine former and current officials and seize their property, including the son-in-law of the former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, Yasser Sakheel and his brother Luqman Sakhel, on Background of non-payment of debts owed to the state.

The approach to the circle close to Maliki was considered an event in itself, because the man who headed the Iraqi government for eight years between 2006 and 2014 was able, by planting his followers in the various parts of the state, to create immunity for him against accountability despite his being accused of spreading corruption on a large scale and wasting hundreds Billions of dollars in oil money, and the weakening of the security and military establishment, causing ISIS to enter Iraq with all the disasters and tragedies that followed.

The announcement that the former defense and interior ministers would be subjected to investigation came in a statement by the Supreme Judicial Council, the structure that manages the affairs of the judiciary, which it issued after a meeting with the council’s chairman, Faiq Zaidan, National Security Adviser Qassem Al-Araji, National Security Service chief Abdul Ghani Al-Asadi, and counter-terrorism chief Abdul Wahab Al-Saadi.
The statement stated that judicial procedures were discussed in the meeting regarding the killings and injuries of demonstrators and members of the security forces during the protests.

He explained that the judicial investigative body in Rusafa in Baghdad had summoned both the defense ministers Najah al-Shammari and the interior minister, Yassin al-Yasiri in the previous government, to seek clarification from them about information related to the investigation of these cases.

He added that the commission also issued a number of arrest warrants against a number of employees of the ministries of defense and interior, in addition to arresting officers pending investigations and issuing sentences against others.

The defense and interior ministers of former Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi’s government are the most senior officials to be called to investigate the violence that accompanied the protests.

Last May, Mustafa Al-Kazemi’s government announced the formation of committees to investigate the violence that left 565 protesters and security forces dead during the protests, according to an official count.

Al-Kazemi has repeatedly pledged to prosecute those involved in the violence, but no accused has yet been convicted, in addition to his promises to tackle corruption and protect state resources.

During the past few days, one of the corruption files implicating a number of close associates of the former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki was opened, as the Central Bank decided “to seize the movable and immovable funds of Yasser Saqil and his brother Luqman Sukhail, the former governor of Karbala, Aqeel al-Taraihi, Zuhair al-Araji, MP in Parliament, and Hajem. Al-Hasani, the former president of the House of Representatives.
The list of names also included Ali al-Quraishi, an official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Walid Rida, an official in the Prime Minister’s Office, and Saeed Khader and Abdullah Muhammad Abdullah, government employees.

Al-Kazemi pledged to refer all the corrupt to the judiciary, regardless of their location in the country, but Iraqi observers are ruling out that this campaign will expand or take the character of a clash with Maliki at a time when the current Iraqi Prime Minister seeks to calm down with the parties and militias close to Iran that are moving on more than one front. To weaken him after his visit to the United States, and the stances and statements issued by it that bring him closer to Washington’s side than to Tehran’s side.

Observers pointed out that Al-Kazemi’s move is closer to reassuring protesters and achieving their demands than a declaration of war against influential figures, especially since fighting corruption is at the top of the demands of the massive protests that Iraq has witnessed since last October.

Well-informed Iraqi sources stated that al-Maliki had previously distributed his wealth among his relatives in anticipation of what might happen in the future.

The sources considered in a previous statement to “Al-Arab” that the Al-Kazemi strike did not miss its target, even if it did not proceed directly in the direction of Al-Maliki, and that it sent a message to him that his condition is completely unsafe, as he believes.

Large segments of Iraqis often look indifferent to the measures taken by the authorities of their country to confront the phenomenon of corruption and fight the widespread crime, and the media noise that accompanies these measures.

Some of them describe these procedures as superficial, formal, and circumstantial, and that the purpose behind them is to obtain a propaganda and media return, even if the matter requires the sacrifice of some of those responsible.

The families of the murdered, assassinated, kidnapped and forcibly disappeared protesters fear that some employees and even ministers will be sacrificed to appease the street demanding accountability and justice for the victims.

Even the most pessimistic Iraqis regarding confronting corruption see that achieving concrete results in this is impossible, given that the phenomenon is being fought at the hands of people who are already corrupt and run corrupt institutions, including the judiciary itself.

Political activists and opinion leaders describe anti-corruption measures as selective, challenging the authorities to dare to hold accountable one of those most widely accused of corruption, like Maliki, the leader of the Dawa Party. This is because most of the cases that the judiciary settles in relate to lower-ranking officials without approaching what the Iraqis call the big corruption whales, in reference to senior political officials and leaders of parties and militias whom suspicions have been hovering around for many years without anyone daring to open their files. In addition, many of those being tried on corruption charges are former officials and not current officials, and it is customary to give some of them the opportunity to flee outside the country and transfer the money they stole abroad, before their files are opened and judgments are passed against them.

Nasnews.com

Ziad Khalaf Abed stresses the need for central banks to support capital markets in the Corona pandemic

Economy News – Baghdad: The Union of Arab Banks organized a virtual conference on Tuesday and Wednesday 1 and 2 September 2020, during which it discussed ways to support central banks for capital markets in light of the Corona pandemic, and the conference witnessed the participation of Arab and European stock markets, banks, Arab central banks and the International Monetary Fund, with Arab and European participation with The participation of senior officials in central banks, heads of Arab stock exchanges and Arab and international capital market bodies, elite decision makers, senior banking and financial leaders, and Arab central bank governors.

In this context, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the International Development Bank, Mr. Ziad Khalaf Abdel-Muhtaram, participating in the activities of the conference, delivered a valuable speech on the air directly on the second day of the conference, in which he dealt with a number of practical and economic analyzes and the most important repercussions imposed by the Corona pandemic and the economic effects of it throughout the markets. Finance, warning at the same time of the repercussions of a recession and a serious financial crisis in the global economy, which would generate a significant decline in economic growth.

He stressed the need for central banks to take care of banks by providing more liquidity in order to be able to advance the banking reality, provide better services to customers, encourage the establishment of joint collective funds, and reduce the administrative and supervisory requirements of banks.

Khalaf stressed the International Development Bank’s keenness to preserve capital and liquidity more than it was in the past, and the bank has proven that it has more strength and tolerance than before to market fluctuations and its various repercussions and expected losses and stumbling in the credit granted, noting that the support of central banks in providing cash has contributed greatly. In reducing the financing risks, which made banks in a better position than before since the beginning of the crisis, calling on legislators and central bank administrations to pay more attention to banks so that they do not fall into more crises and problems.

Economy-news.net

Iraq is moving to join global trade … and an Arab country: We will facilitate its mission

Baghdad: Al Furat News – Iraq opened the file for its accession to the World Trade Organization.

According to a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Euphrates News Agency received a copy of it, “The Chargé d’Affairs, Minister Plenipotentiary {Abbas Kazem Obeid} met in Geneva the head of the working group concerned with Iraq’s accession to the World Trade Organization, Ambassador Omar Hilal / Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Morocco to the United Nations in New York, In the presence of the Director of the WTO’s Accession Department, Ms. Maika Oshikawa, and her assistance at the Organization’s headquarters.

The two sides exchanged, according to the statement, “talking about ways to activate the file of Iraq’s accession to the organization and the importance of continuing work in completing technical documents to complete the requirements for accession and overcome the obstacles and challenges facing the accession process.”

The statement indicated that “it was agreed to prepare training programs for the members of the national negotiating team, as well as discuss the importance of setting a new date for the high-level conference on Iraq’s accession to the World Trade Organization, which was supposed to be held in Baghdad for the period 26-27 / 11/2019. “.

Last Thursday, Moroccan state television – Channel 1 – announced that Moroccan Ambassador Omar Hilal, head of the working group concerned with Iraq’s accession to the World Trade Organization, held a series of meetings last week in Geneva with the parties participating in the World Trade Organization. Activating the file of integrating Iraq into this organization.

On the other hand, identical sources indicated that these meetings follow a telephone conversation that Ambassador Omar Hilal held during the past month of July, with the Minister of Trade, Alaa Ahmed Hassan Al-Jubouri.

The same source added that during the aforementioned meeting, the two sides agreed to activate negotiations, with a view to speeding up the process of the Iraqi Republic’s accession to the World Trade Organization.

Here it is noteworthy that Ambassador Omar Hilal, Chairman of the Working Group on Iraq’s Accession, had a discussion with the Director General of the World Trade Organization, Roberto Azevedo, and held a working session with the Deputy Director General in charge of accession operations, Alan Wolf, as well as with Mika Oshikawa, Director of the Accession Operations Department, Where Wolff pledged to work to sensitize the countries of the World Trade Organization, in order to facilitate the process of joining Iraq.

On the other hand, according to a report by MAP, he highlighted that Ambassador Omar Hilal held bilateral meetings with ambassadors and permanent representatives in Geneva, and the main countries participating in this process, especially the European Union, Switzerland, Russia, China and Saudi Arabia, in their capacity as coordinator of the Arab Group He also had a fruitful phone conversation with the representative of the United States, who was in Washington.

The report also highlighted that the interlocutors of Moroccan Hilal were unanimous in expressing thanks and praise for Morocco’s tireless efforts aimed at re-launching the process of Iraq’s accession to the World Trade Organization, in the difficult context of the “Covid-19” epidemic.

On the other hand, the aforementioned source added that the Moroccan diplomat held a virtual working session from Baghdad, with Adel Al-Masoudi, Director General of Foreign Economic Relations at the Ministry of Trade and head of the delegation in charge of negotiations. All documents required to join.

To this end, the Iraqi side requested technical assistance for the benefit of the various ministerial sectors concerned in order to form an effective negotiation team, capable of enabling Iraq to better negotiate its interests during this process, which will be long and arduous, and this virtual working session was completed by coordination meetings held with the mission. Al-Iraqiya, with Abbas Kazem Obeid, the Iraqi ambassador to Geneva.

In order to mobilize the necessary financial contributions for technical assistance, training and strengthening the capabilities required by the Iraqi authorities, Hilal held a virtual working session with representatives of the World Bank in both Baghdad and Beirut. On the other hand, the head of the working group called in a meeting with the director of technical assistance for the mall International to strengthen technical support for the benefit of the Iraqi delegation.

The re-launch of the process of Iraq’s accession to the World Trade Organization comes in a positive context, reinforced by encouraging signs following the formation of the new Iraqi government led by Mustafa Al-Kazemi, as the latter expressed his aspiration to open up to its regional and international surroundings.

Thus, Al-Kazemi aims to fight corruption, and to carry out many reforms in the country, especially at the level of the judicial system, as well as to implement the necessary economic transformation so that oil is not mainly dependent on oil as a main source of Iraq’s GNP, by focusing on diversifying his income through Promote the sectors of agriculture, livestock, agricultural industries and trade.

On the eve of these preliminary discussions, led by Hilal Maghribi in Geneva, the World Bank published a report on the economic situation in Iraq.

This report stresses the importance of the country’s accession to the World Trade Organization, which will help complete many reforms, through binding international commitments, and enable Iraq to benefit from a multilateral trading system that is transparent, extrapolable, and based on rules.

Ammar Al-Masoudi

Alforatnews.com

In the document .. Federal Court Law is the most prominent of what will be discussed by Parliament in the session next Saturday

Baghdad – news: Al-Akhbariya obtained a document issued by the Media Department of the Council of Representatives that stipulates the agenda for the parliament session to be held next Saturday, and the Federal Court’s law, the most prominent of what the parliament will discuss during the session.

The document states:

Ikhnews.com

Integrity comments on the “Committee for Major Cases” .. These are the corruption whales!

Baghdad – Today, Tuesday, the Parliamentary Integrity Committee promised the government’s formation of a committee to combat major corruption cases, a step in the right direction.

Member of the committee, MP Hassan Shaker, said in a statement to the official agency, followed by “Nass”, (September 1, 2020), that “Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi’s intention to form an anti-corruption cell or committee is a good step in the right direction,” calling on the government to “follow the correct mechanisms in Facing corruption whales. ”

He added that “the sources of corruption and the mechanism of its spread in Iraq must be identified, and complete information gathered, to form an integrated database, then stop the corrupt and send them to the courts to receive their just penalty,” pointing out that “corruption is widespread and widespread in Iraq, but it needs seriousness and real work.” To combat it. ”

He explained that “the so-called corruption whales are influential people in ministries and state departments, and they must be held accountable.”

The Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Mustafa Al-Kazemi, had previously announced the formation of a supreme committee to deal with major corruption cases and exceptional crimes, while announcing the end of the first phase of investigating the facts of violations against the October demonstrators.

The legal expert, Ali Al-Tamimi, believed that the formation of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi of an investigative committee to look into major and exceptional cases of corruption agrees with the constitution in Article 78, and it will also be a gateway to open important files.

Al-Tamimi said in a statement, which “People” received a copy of, (August 30, 2020), that “the formation of this committee is in accordance with the constitution, Article (78) that granted broad powers to the Prime Minister, as well as Article (2) of the Cabinet Bylaw No. 2 of 2019 And also the State Employees Discipline Law No. 14 of 1991.

He added, “This committee can refer investigative files to the judiciary or the public prosecution … but I think the cabinet can coordinate with the Judicial Council in establishing a specialized court for investigation and trial, as well as clarifying the source of the information and receiving the files and allowing them.”

He pointed out that “the formed committee will be a gateway to open important and large files, for example the file of the fall of Mosul, the killing of demonstrators, the waste of public money, and the smuggling of money out of Iraq, which is estimated at 500 billion dollars.”

Al-Tamimi stressed the need for the files to be examined by this committee for confidentiality and also coordination with the public prosecution to demand the return of the fugitives and the smuggled money in accordance with the International Interpol agreement and coordination with the American side in accordance with Article 27 of the Strategic Cooperation Agreement.

He continued, “I think this is an important step in the right direction towards correcting the tracks.”

Nasnews.com

Sadr calls on PMF (Hashd) to close its offices

In Iraq, Muqtada Sadr calls on PMF (Hashd) to close its offices, move away from politics, expel bad members & incorporate forces into security forces.

Iraqnewsapp.com

The economic debate played a central role in the visit of Al-Kazemi to Washington

Baghdad / Al-Akhbariya: The US ambassador to Iraq, Matthew Toller, confirmed today, Monday, that the economic debate played a central role in the visit of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi to Washington and in the second round of the strategic dialogue.

Tueller said in a statement that “the discussion on economic issues played a central role in all meetings that took place in Washington, whether it was in the strategic dialogue meetings or meetings that Al-Kazemi held with President Trump, trade leaders and congressional delegations.”

He added, “These meetings that were held showed the two countries’ seriousness about establishing the relationship between Baghdad and Washington,” noting that “a long time has passed since the visit of an Iraqi prime minister to Washington, as we hope that Al-Kazemi’s visit will create momentum for the relationship between the two countries in a positive direction.”

He continued, “Everyone is aware of the unnatural challenges facing the Iraqi economy due to the Corona pandemic or due to the low oil prices,” explaining that “Prime Minister Al-Kazemi and Iraqi officials have demonstrated their ideas to reform the economy and the United States, on its part, received these ideas warmly and demonstrated their commitment to work with the Iraqi government.” To achieve these efforts. ”

Ikhnews.com

Report: Nuri al-Maliki distributed his wealth among his relatives … But the “Sakhil Strike” did not miss its goal!

Baghdad – On Saturday, a press report dealt with the recent measures of the Central Bank of Iraq, which included a list that included the names of politicians and members of the House of Representatives, as well as officials, including Nuri al-Maliki’s son-in-law, Yasser Sakheel.

The report, published by the London-based Al-Arab newspaper and followed by People, (August 29, 2020), said the decision may be the first of the Iraqi government’s actions against corruption, while it was ruled out that these measures include “corruption whales.”

The report also ruled out that the decision is indicative of a “declaration of war” against former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, “accused of corruption,” and who “distributed his wealth among his relatives in anticipation of future accountability,” as the report said.
The text of the report follows.

The Iraqi government chose to start its battle with corruption from locations close to the head of the State of Law coalition, Nouri al-Maliki, without publicly contacting him, in a move that observers said was closer to a skirmish than to a confrontation in light of the difficulty of the political attack on the former prime minister who surrounded himself in a large circle of Corrupt officials have a complex network of relationships.

The Central Bank of Iraq decided to freeze the assets of nine former and current officials and seize their properties, including al-Maliki’s son-in-law, Yasser Sakhail and his brother Luqman Sakhail, against the backdrop of non-payment of debts owed to the state.

The decision stipulated “the seizure of movable and immovable funds for each of Yasser Sakheel and his brother Luqman Sakheil, the former governor of Karbala, Aqeel Al-Taraihi, Zuhair Al-Araji (a parliament member), and Hajem Al-Hasani (the former speaker of the House of Representatives.”

The list of names also included “Ali al-Quraishi (official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Walid Rida (official in the Prime Minister’s office), Saeed Khader, and Abdullah Muhammad Abdullah (without specifying their job description).”

Al-Kazemi pledged to refer all the corrupt to the judiciary, regardless of their position in the country, but Iraqi observers are ruling out that this campaign will expand or take the character of a clash with Maliki at a time when the current Iraqi Prime Minister seeks to calm down with the parties and militias close to Iran that are moving on more than one front. To weaken him after his visit to the United States, and the stances and statements issued by it that bring him closer to Washington’s side than to Tehran’s side.

Observers pointed out that Al-Kazemi’s move is closer to reassuring protesters and achieving their demands than a declaration of war on al-Maliki, especially since fighting corruption is at the top of the demands of the massive protests that Iraq has witnessed since last October.

Well-informed Iraqi sources stated that al-Maliki had previously distributed his wealth among his relatives in anticipation of what might happen in the future.

The sources considered in a statement to “Al-Arab” that the government’s strike did not miss its goal, even if it did not proceed directly in the direction of Al-Maliki, and that it sent a message to him that his situation is completely unsafe as he believes.

She revealed that many files will be opened without personalities still being targeted directly, which means that Al-Kazemi decided to hang an expected alarm in many necks whose owners would feel in danger and resort to hiding from power either by leaving Iraq or searching for ways to compromise with The government, a settlement will return large sums of money to the state treasury.

And the Iraqi Prime Minister put all the weight of his government and the support he received from the United States, in addition to economic reforms, in opening the files of corruption without fanfare.

Sakhil is the son-in-law of al-Maliki and a member of parliament for the State of Law coalition, and al-Maliki nominated him for the interior portfolio in the al-Kazemi government despite his lack of any experience in the field of security or its administration.
The State of Law Coalition angered the political blocs when it nominated Sakhail to the Interior Ministry due to its knowledge of the shallowness of Maliki’s son-in-law and his entry into parliament with a forged testimony and his lack of experience in security affairs.

Previously, al-Maliki used his son-in-law to purify the inner home of the Islamic Dawa Party, which he leads, as they led a campaign of clashes and public relations that ended in deporting all opponents. It also allowed them to dominate the State of Law coalition, until they became among its most prominent leaders.

Sources close to the Dawa Party say that my brother-in-law, Yasser Sakhel and Hussein al-Maliki controls the official political position of the State of Law Coalition.

The American “Daily Beast” newspaper has previously revealed that the investigations conducted by the US Department of Justice with the “Saleport Global Services” company about its role in bribing Iraqi officials, included Nuri al-Maliki and his son-in-law Yasser Sakhil.

In 2014, Saliport obtained a contract from the Air Force to provide services to Balad Air Force Base, north of Baghdad.

The newspaper said that investigations conducted by the US Department of Justice indicated that suspicious activities were carried out by “Afaq” on behalf of “Salibort”, as Iraqi government officials promised to provide them with money in exchange for registering “Salibort” as a contractor.

The news of such rulings hardly arouses the interest of Iraqis, because the majority of corruption cases that are decided by the judiciary concern lower-ranking officials without approaching what the Iraqis call “the big corruption whales,” referring to senior political officials, party leaders and militias who have been suspicious for years. No one dared to open their files.

The Secretary-General of the Al-Bashaer Movement, Yasser Al-Maliki, commented, on Thursday, on the Central Bank’s decision to seize its movable and immovable funds, within a list of nine personalities.

Al-Maliki wrote in a blog posted on “People” (27 August 2020), “We explain to the brothers who are wondering about the book of the Ministry of Finance to seize the money, and we say it is just an administrative problem between Parliament and the State Real Estate Department, about the house that the parliament rented and allocated to us, and it seems that it is late in fulfilling the dues.” .

He added, “We are surprised by the issuance of such a book, and if we are used to exaggerating issues with the aim of provoking and other reasons.”

On Thursday, the Central Bank of Iraq issued a circular to the authorized banks to place the precautionary seizure mark on the movable and immovable funds of 9 personalities, headed by MP Yasser Sakhail Al-Maliki.

According to a document that “People” received a copy of (August 27, 2020), the Central Bank instructed all licensed banks to seize movable and immovable money for 9 personalities, headed by Yasser Sakhail al-Maliki, his brother Luqman, the governor of Karbala, Aqeel al-Taraihi, Zuhair al-Araji, a member of Parliament, and Hajem The good

Nasnews.com

The first comment from the Iraqi Central Bank on the ‘New York Times’ investigation

Baghdad – A new press report, Wednesday, shed light on the corruption suspicions surrounding the work of the currency sale window in the Central Bank of Iraq, which it considered “a major corruption gateway.”

The report published by the Independent Arabia website, followed by People (12 August 2020), stated that “the basic idea of ​​the currency auction is focused on“ selling the dollar to private banks and money transfer companies to manage the import of goods ”and its daily sales of dollars reach 180 A million dollars, but several suspicions affect influential political figures standing behind these banks to run corruption operations. ”

In the report, the Director General of the Accounting Department at the Central Bank of Iraq, Ihssan Shamran, comments on the accusations leveled against the bank indicating its connection with “suspicious operations or managing transfers outside the general framework of its laws,” and included in the “New York Times” investigation entitled “The rule of thieves in Iraq.” .

The following is the text of the report:

Since the compass of the Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi’s movement began to become clear, his focus on economic issues has become clear, as he sets his sights on four main files: controlling border crossings, fighting corruption, dismantling the influence of armed factions on financial outlets, and strengthening local industry.

But the road to these files necessarily passes through the gate of the Central Bank, specifically, the so-called currency auction, so Al-Kazemi will need the help of the governor of the “central” Ali Alaq.

Informed sources say that the two men (Al-Kazemi and Al-Alaq) enjoy a “distinguished” relationship, which may facilitate the settlement of these issues.

However, signs of progress in this file have not been clear so far, with members of the Finance Committee in the Iraqi parliament speaking about the Central Bank’s “exploitation” of its powers as an “independent body” in not dealing with the problems that the legislative and executive authority are raising.

The basic idea of ​​the currency auction revolves around “selling dollars to private banks and money transfer companies to manage the import of goods.” Its daily sales of dollars reach 180 million dollars. However, several suspicions affect influential political figures standing behind those banks to manage corruption operations.

And the Treasury Department has included Iraqi banks – dealing with the auction – in the sanctions list on more than one occasion.

With economists describing the currency auction as a “dollar depletion front and an opportunity for some banks owned by influential parties to achieve large profits,” most of the estimates talk about more than 500 billion dinars sold by the Central Bank in its continuous daily operations since 2003.

Washington and adjust the currency auction

The issue of the currency auction remains a matter of questions and suspicions, especially with frequent talks about Washington’s ability to control the financial movements of the entire Central Bank of Iraq, as all major Iraqi transfers pass through the US Federal Reserve.

Close to Iran accuses the governor of the Central Bank of being an ally of the United States, given the quick response that he shows whenever decisions or sanctions are issued by the US Treasury, especially those that have targeted armed faction leaders linked to Iran.

People close to Al-Alaq reject these “allegations”, and stress that one of the central bank’s most complicated tasks is to maintain the flow of dollars into the local market and prevent problems that may cause sanctions against Iraq in the event of failure to respond.

But the issue does not appear to be limited to managing the dispute between Washington and Tehran. Many observers accuse the central bank of running a “corruption balancing act” between the United States and Iran’s allies in Iraq. What was reported by “The New York Times” in its last report, about the possibility of “American complicity” in facilitating the work of the Central Bank, was not a conversation that was heard for the first time in Iraq.

The United States is facing charges of overlooking the flow of money to Iran through Iraq. The American newspaper report says that “the US Treasury Department often turns a blind eye to money laundering operations taking place in Iraq,” while the report explicitly accuses central bank officials of colluding with companies that provide cover for the participation of terrorists in the auction.

“Washington eases pressure on Iran via Baghdad.”

Abdul Rahman Al-Mashhadani, a professor of political economy at the Iraqi University, said, “All financial operations of Iraq are monitored by the United States, but there is a clear overlook of them.”

It reveals “the entry of non-Iraqi banks into the currency outlet, including Lebanese and Iranian banks, which receive daily quotas estimated at 5-8 million dollars.”

He points out that “Iraq’s commercial dealings with Iran do not take place through the banking system due to the penalties imposed on it, and most transactions are done through direct payment,” indicating that “several evidences for this, including very inflated numbers regarding the import of roses, tomatoes and watermelons at inflated prices.” Exceeds Iraq’s need. ”

15 percent money laundering rate at auction

On the money laundering operations that mar the currency auction sales in the Central Bank, Al-Mashhadani estimated that the money laundering proceeds from the daily sales of the Central Bank would be about 15 percent, indicating that “the talk about currency auction being a gateway to corruption and money laundering abroad has been taking place since 2010.” .

He added, “There are influential political parties standing behind the banks that own shares of the auction, which have also become outlets for merchants’ transfers, and a percentage of them are tainted by money laundering operations.”

He points out that “despite the central bank throwing the responsibility for these suspicious operations on other parties, but it cannot get out of the liability framework,” indicating that “he must check after raising suspicions for years that the auction has become an open space for corruption and any bank is supposed to be excluded.” Suspicions are answered. ”

He continues, “Numerous evidence of banks submitting invoices in the names of fake companies and these files are supposed to be referred to integrity, and this raises questions about the central failure to take strict measures.”

An outlet for money laundering and financing armed groups

The European Commission had included Iraq, along with other countries, in the list of countries that pose financial risks to the Union because of the failure to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.

The sensitivity of the currency auction file is based on being the only outlet for the removal of hard currency from the country, as it is considered an anchor for economic security, but the accusations against this outlet went beyond money laundering for reasons of profit, until it became a front for other suspicious operations that reach the limits of financing armed groups.

“The currency auction has become a front for the depletion of the dollar from Iraq and the opportunity to make profits from corrupt money in favor of influential political parties that have influence over local banks,” says the expert on economics, Salam Sumaisem.

She adds, “Currency window controls do not have the necessary degrees of transparency to monitor the country’s actual need for import, and this raises major questions about the credibility of opening credits related to imports through the Ministry of Trade, and why the regulatory authorities do not track those processes”, adding, “We do not know exactly what it is. The role of the money laundering department in the central bank in following up on these cases.

Sumaisem points out that one of the causes of the problem is that “banking leaders within the central bank and other considerations cannot be excluded.”

The central denies the charges

The Director General of the Accounting Department at the Central Bank of Iraq, Ihssan Shamran, denied that the bank has a link in any suspicious operations or managing transfers outside the general framework of its laws, indicating that “according to the Central Bank Law, the sale of dollars is done through what is called a simple sale without imposing any complications. As long as the dinar is intact, “as he put it.

He added to “The Independent Arabia”: “Commercial banks submit a request to buy dollars for their customers according to documents and import licenses submitted later, and based on the bank’s controls to verify the integrity of the funds with no suspicions of money laundering or terrorist financing, the Central Bank receives the dinar from the bank and deposits the amount in dollars. In his favor with the exporter’s private bank, adding that after a period the commercial bank submits a report to the bank on the import process.

And while he indicated that “suspicions related to non-entry of goods in exchange for money sold by the central bank are related to other departments,” he pointed out that “the investigation function belongs to important institutions including the customs authority, the Ministry of Trade that gives import licenses, and the General Tax Authority that has a tax office in the customs.”

He pointed out that “the most important manipulation takes place at the border outlets, where some employees force the customer to reduce the recorded imported quantities,” noting that this process leads to “the corrupt obtaining four times what the state gets through customs duties,” expressing his hope That “the Ports Authority shall monitor and control the violations and the processes of changing the identity of imported goods.”

Responsibility of “sectoral entities”

Official and press reports circulated huge numbers regarding Iraq’s import of goods that exceed the limits of its need, while official documents show that some of these imported materials have doubled up to a thousand times over what Iraq had imported in previous years, including the import of tomatoes from Iran in 2017, worth 1.66 billion dollars.

In the context, Shamran points out that “the bank is not specialized in assessing Iraq’s need for the materials to be imported, which is the responsibility of the sectoral authorities and according to which the bank deals”, indicating that “the authority that issues import licenses is the one that determines the country’s need for the commodity to be imported, and the Central Bank has no responsibility for Determining the country’s needs to link this with its sales, “explaining that” Iraq suffers from the absence of a national information system. ”

He pointed out that Iraq used to link most of the imports with the subject of “estimating the need for imports,” and in light of which an import license is issued from the Ministry of Trade, and based on the license, the Central transfers funds, but they stopped after 2003. ”

And Shamran added, “Transfer operations in the central bank are very strict and under the supervision of the US Federal Reserve Bank, which has strict rules in tracking money, as well as the Anti-Money Laundering Office. We have imposed on banks to activate reporting units for money laundering and terrorist financing operations,” adding “stories Corruption can be believed if the central bank carries money on its side and gives it to merchants directly and not through this complex network. ”

On the importance of the window for selling the dollar, Shamran said that it “funds the needs of Iraq from the importer as well as financing the needs of the Ministry of Finance of Iraqi cash.”

He concluded that “the accusations received against the bank by deputies and officials affect confidence in state institutions and waste their reputation, and this harms Iraq and removes foreign investment opportunities.”

Authority without authority

As for the representative of the Finance Committee in the Iraqi Parliament, Ahmed Hama Rashid, he says that “the majority of the committee members agree that the currency auction is a great suspicion of corruption.”

He continues, “The prime minister’s pledges to control outlets, dismantle the power of some financial factions, activate industry and fight corruption, are directly related to the issue of currency auction,” noting that “it has become a public opinion issue and one of the factors that shatter the economy.”

He points out that “there is a blackout on this issue, and the central bank’s response to questions about the currency auction does not go beyond the data limits, and the legislative authority is not efficient in this area.”

He concludes that “there are no tools available to solve the auction problem except through the cooperation of the Central Bank, and Parliament or the Council of Ministers cannot solve it due to the independence of the monetary authority.”

Currency auction and Chalabi “killed”

The opening of suspicions about the currency auction dates back to previous years, when the late head of the Iraqi Parliament’s Finance Committee, Ahmed Chalabi, presented files related to corruption in the currency auction in 2015, and as a result, the Supreme Judicial Council formed a judicial investigative body, and a statement by the Council said on November 10 (November). The second) of the same year, he decided to form a judicial investigative body to look into the documents submitted by Chalabi, explaining that “the documents are related to money laundering and foreign currency smuggling cases bought from the Iraqi Central Bank auction.”

The statement stated that “the investigative body is made up of the judges of the Integrity and Economic Crime Investigation Court, and that the public prosecution will appear before the investigative body to express its requests and follow-up, and this decision will be implemented as of 11/10/2015.”

The Iraqi Integrity Commission issued a statement on December 11, 2019, talking about the details of the penal cases related to the “currency auction” file, where it said that “among these cases are major corruption cases in the work of a private bank and indicators of cases of smuggling foreign currency outside Iraq. By the bank buying foreign currency for the benefit of companies claiming to import goods, “noting that upon investigation and scrutiny, it was found that” these companies have not imported goods into Iraq since 2004. ”

The department explained that “the cases included fraud by some governmental and private banks, entering the auction of selling currency in the names of companies and private account holders without their knowledge, submitting forged import invoices, as well as violating the Central Bank’s instructions when entering the auction in accordance with the provisions of Article 3 of the Money Laundering Law.” No. 93 of 2004. ”

Iraqi politician Laith Shubbar said in a series of tweets on Twitter, “Yesterday, I received from the famous journalist, Robert Worth, author of the article on Iraq under the rule of thieves, the complete file prepared by Ahmed Chalabi about the corruption of the sale of currency in the Central Bank, which ended with his death and the closure of the file permanently.”

He added, “I spent two hours reading it and came to the complete conviction that the first head of corruption is this dangerous suspicious auction.” He explained that “the file of corruption that I received from the currency auction that is held daily by the Central Bank is frightening and dangerous, and because of it, Chalabi was assassinated.”

He pointed out that “there is no doubt that the file has existed for years in the Integrity Commission, and the names mentioned in this file are still arriving and wandering. Some of them even founded a party and became a deputy after spending millions, but the heads happened and there is no problem.”

Nasnews.com

Washington: Al-Kazemi Gives A Ray Of Hope For Sovereignty And The Removal Of Foreign Influence In Iraq

The (Independent) … The Washington Institute said in its latest report today, Tuesday, that Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi gives a ray of hope for the future of the country’s sovereignty, and that his program gives priority to removing foreign influence.

Mayan Carlin, a political security analyst at the Washington Institute, said in the report that (The Independent) followed, the situation was worse, as Iran’s policy and its interference in Iraq’s affairs caused angry demonstrations to erupt in various parts of the country in late 2019, and pro-Iranian factions responded to these. The protests were violent, resulting in the killing of more than 800 protesters and the injury of many more, according to the report of the Washington Institute analyst.

“The killings, orchestrated by Tehran and its proxies, have led to an increase in anti-Iranian sentiment in the country,” Karlin noted.

She added, “The new Iraqi prime minister, Mustafa Al-Kazimi, gives a ray of hope for the future of the country’s sovereignty, and that his program gives priority to removing foreign influence, including unwanted Iranian interference from the Baghdad government,” adding that “Tehran is resisting these efforts and continues to use its local proxies to implement its goals.” “.

She indicated that the “Hezbollah Brigades”, backed by Iran, prevented Iraq from obtaining the financial support it needed to get out of its economic crisis.

And Carlin continued, if “the prime minister fails to stop the hand of these militias, the United States cannot consider Baghdad a true ally, and it is likely to cut off all funding from the country’s ministries of defense and interior,” asserting that “if the United States cuts off financial support, it may be the economy of Iraq. The weak is already a mess. ”

Carlin emphasized that the Lebanese and Iraqi people are paying the price for Iran’s unwanted influence, and that it is necessary for Beirut and Baghdad to distance itself from the Iranian regime. (End)

Mustaqila.com