Iraq parliament exonerate electricity minister of corruption

Iraqi parliament exonerated today and Electricity Minister Qassim al-Fahdawi of the charge of corruption, and expressed his conviction that the answers made ​​by the minister during his interrogation by the ongoing in the country, which sparked widespread protests electricity crisis and prompted the authorities to try to make repairs.
The anger of the power cuts on a large scale in the midst of intense heat experienced by the country to the outbreak of demonstrations in Baghdad and many southern cities last month. The demonstrations have evolved in recent weeks to demand the trial of politicians and modify system is described as "rife with corruption and inefficiency."
And it is expected to lead acquitted electricity minister, who took office a year ago in anger in the ranks of the protesters, who complain that they have not seen yet tangible results of the reforms announced by this month, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi .
Abadi announced -fima seen in part in response to Ahtjajat- for action to combat corruption and mismanagement, including the abolition of several large government positions and reduce the security measures and other privileges accorded to officials and to encourage investigations into corruption cases.
During interrogation Fahdawi said he should not bear responsibility for the system weary years of war and lack of investment in the covenants and former ministers are currently weak and severely hampered by government funding given the decline in oil prices.
The electricity supply has deteriorated in Iraq in the wake of the US invasion in 2003, when power stations have been looted or neglected maintenance, as gunmen pressure towers and other infrastructure facilities targeted during the years following the invasion, while the Baghdad government failed to meet the domestic demand.
Tens of thousands in demonstrations on Friday to urge Abadi to speed up reforms and the prosecution of corrupt officials and reduce the predominance of political parties in the state. And it deployed thousands of security forces but the demonstrations in the predominantly characterized as peaceful.
The MP dry longings of the 153 members of parliament's 263 voted to approve the answers Fahdawi and end the interrogation.
But the answers did not convince everyone. User Abbas Khuzai what the minister described as "funny," he said, adding that he should have been at least the dismissal of the minister for not responding to the demands of the protesters and to send a message to others that we are serious about reform.
For his part, a member Ahmed al-Badri warned that street pressure may now turn from the minister to the members of Parliament who voted to accept his answers.

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