First Published: 2012-10-19

Maliki extended its influence on the central bank


Iraqi authorities issued an arrest warrant for the former governor of the Central Bank and other officials in a corruption case.


Middle East Online



Maliki impose his authority on the independent institutions


BAGHDAD - A spokesman for the Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council that the authorities issued a warrant for the arrest of the former governor of the Central Bank and other officials in a corruption case, a decision would provoke investors worried that the government is trying to intervene to limit the independence of the central bank.

And announced the arrest warrant after the Iraqi government dismissed Tuesday Shabibi Iraqi Central Bank Governor because of accusations by the parliament to bank officials regarding fraud in selling the dollar.

The independent Racbah body is the integrity of the Court to the Supreme Judicial Council is investigating the charges.

Abdul Sattar said Bayraktar, a spokesman for the Supreme Judicial Council that a judicial committee of the Court of integrity check in it and it issued an arrest warrant for Hbibi and other officials at the bank.

The court is part of the Higher Judicial Council, which oversees the courts and judicial matters.

The central bank said it did not object to the investigation, was not immediately known where al-Shabibi, he recently traveled to Tokyo and Europe on business trips is not known whether he returned them to Iraq.

And won by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki last year on a court ruling puts the central bank and other independent institutions under the supervision of the government in a move opponents said allowing Shiite Prime Minister to strengthen his powers.

The Iraqi government appointed Tuesday 16 October / October, a new interim conservative central bank to replace the current governor suspended from his job after an investigation by a parliamentary committee in accusations of corruption within the bank.

The media adviser to Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Moussawi earlier that "the Council of Ministers voted to assign Abdul Basit Turki, Chairman of the Board of Supreme Audit, the management of the Central Bank until further notice."

Moussawi said that the judiciary "has decided to withdraw his hand" Shabibi, current governor of the Central Bank.

The media advisor explained that "after Tzbb dinar exchange rate formed a committee in the House of Representatives to investigate headed by Vice President of the Council Qusay al-Suhail, and after a lengthy investigation, found negligence by the Governor of the Bank and others."

The head of the Parliamentary Integrity Committee Bahaa al-Araji, that "warrants issued but no warrants have been issued a travel ban," noting that the number of arrest warrants was "thirty memorandum include bank governor and his deputy."

Araji said the issue "is not about money but about procedures and instructions led to the increase in the price of the dollar against the Iraqi dinar and the low price of the dinar."

He described Bahaa al-Araji, head of the Iraqi parliamentary Integrity Committee, the actions taken against Shabibi, head of the central bank, "urgent", because the country living in difficult circumstances, considering that these measures come within the framework of the political targeting of independent bodies.

They said, "The arrest warrant against al-Shabibi real and present, pointing out that the central bank is no less important for the defense and interior ministries, that may reflect negatively on the security situation, and that this event could be exploited economically by the depreciation of the Iraqi dinar relative to the value of other currencies ".

He explained that the action taken against Shabibi was prosecuted after came on the one hand with jurisdiction, wondering at the same time, "Why offer the Integrity Commission tens of corrupt files are not working out?", While offering specific destinations files are within 3 days of work, and the issuance of arrest warrants on people against them, so there must be coordination between the concerned parties.

He pointed out that the Parliamentary Integrity Committee made previously about the reasons for decline in value of the Iraqi dinar relative to the value of other currencies, and that some proposals were made to the Central Bank https://www.middle-east-online.com/?id=141584