Prime Minister Barzani: Reopening Parliament Protected The Region’s Legitimate Entity

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani Said on Thursday that reactivating the Kurdistan Parliament after two years was meant only to protect the Region’s legitimate entity and institutions and was not directed against any person or party, but to restore the confidence of voters and all political parties.

He called on every party, in light of the call by President Masoud Barzani, to return to parliament and take part in talks on forming the 10th cabinet. He spoke at the 45th graduation ceremony of Salahaddin University-Erbil, which he attended.

“I hope all the political parties will support this step and, in the light of President Barzani’s call, return to parliament and take part in the talks to form the 10th cabinet of the Kurdistan Regional Government, so that all of us serve the people of Kurdistan and make our homeland stronger and more prosperous,” Barzani said.

He praised the lawmakers who “courageously carried out their moral, legal and national duty” by taking part in reactivating parliament, and asked all political forces to view the process with national responsibility.

The Kurdistan Parliament held its first session in about two years on November 4, a session the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) boycotted.

The PUK called it illegal, announced the next day that it was leaving the government and said it would not recognize the parliament, and the Council of Ministers asked its ministers on Wednesday to return.

Barzani congratulated the graduates, wished them a bright future and thanked the teachers and the university council for carrying out their duties.

Salahaddin University graduated 5,347 students this year. He said the KRG’s delegation met the Iraqi prime minister and ministers in Baghdad in recent days for intensive talks and insisted on the constitutional rights and financial entitlements of the people of Kurdistan and the Region’s budget share.

One of the main topics, he said, was hiring employees and graduates of universities and institutes.

Unfortunately, for more than 12 years the Kurdistan Region has not been allowed to hire new employees,

he said, “One of the topics of our meetings was the hiring of employees and graduates of universities and institutes. Unfortunately, for more than 12 years the Kurdistan Region has not been allowed to hire new employees, especially as thousands of students graduate every year from universities and institutes, and some of them want to be hired in the public sector.”.

Barzani said he hopes the disputes between Erbil and Baghdad will be settled and a fair agreement reached within the Iraqi budget, so that more hiring opportunities can be opened for young people.

He said that in recent years the government has given strong support to the private sector to create more jobs for young people and has taken the necessary decisions to put more young Kurds to work. He ended by thanking the Peshmerga, the interior forces and all security agencies for providing security and calm, and paying tribute to the families of the martyrs.