TNT

RValready:  Go RV!!! GO GO GO GO GO!!! By the 20th, please!!!

Yada:  rvalready, in recent developments, believe Iraq will be successful in completing the RI very very shortly.

TKing:  I guess there are no more reasons to hold this up,,,, unless the ones that have been holding it up all along are still against it being released

Kozmo:  Congress could possibly stymie Trump from making anymore decisions. We need the rv to happen in the next few days

Yada: kozmo, don’t see the decision for the release is Trumps…. so we are safe to see the release for Iraq’s RI. They were long overdue since Oct 1 and now our mess is settled, believe the IMF and WB will push it out

Tishwash:  After the oil price rose to $ 55 … a new proposal regarding employee salaries and the exchange rate 

The economist, Basem Jamil Antoun, presented, Thursday, January 07, 2021, a new proposal regarding employee salaries and the .exchange rate, after the oil price rose to $ 55 per barrel

Antoine said in a televised interview (Baghdad Today), that “the rise in oil prices above 50 dollars and Iraqi oil to 55 dollars will contribute to filling the budget deficit, because an increase of one dollar from the price of a barrel adds one trillion dinars to the “.budget

He added, “We suggest that the exchange rate of the dollar rise by half the declared one while monitoring the situation for 6 months to “.see the possibility of reducing it again or raising it further

Antoine added, “The House of Representatives is required to re-examine the situation regarding the exchange rate in the 2021 budget “.and come out with a balanced budget to reduce the deficit and reconsider the deductions in the salaries of employees

And that “the decline in oil prices came as a result of the emergence of the Corona epidemic due to the intensity of supply and the lack “.of demand,” noting that “a decrease in the gross national product of the majority of countries reduced the demand for oil He pointed out that “the discovery of vaccines paved the way for the return of movement and the rise in oil prices because the supply “.is parallel to what is required and we expect it to exceed $ 60

And Antoine pointed out that “Iraq is vulnerable to other financial shocks unless the industrial and agricultural sectors do to increase “.national income Earlier, the oil expert, Furat Al-Mousawi, explained today, Thursday, the relationship of loans to selling oil with prepayment and its effects to reduce the financial deficit, stressing that China will be the most important beneficiary of the agreement, and Iraq will not .lose

The Iraqi government will be able to solve the foreign loan crisis by relying on oil sales by prepayment,” Moussawi said in a televised” .(statement (Baghdad Today

He added that “the pre-payment process does not affect Iraq’s agreement with OPEC on reducing its production, as it will export four million barrels per month,” considering that “the quantities of four million barrels per month are very slight, but it will save amounts of “.up to two billion dollars

Moussawi pointed out that “China is the most important beneficiary of the agreement, and oil prices will be calculated according to the month of export.

Iraq will not lose any money in the event of an increase in the price of oil in the next stage at all, but will preserve it “.according to its interests Iraq is seeking to conclude the first deal of its kind to prepay crude oil, to support the 2021 budget and face the decline in oil prices and demand due to the pandemic for a period of 5 years, starting from this January to December 2025, according to the state oil .marketing company SOMO

The government says that borrowing is one of the most important reasons that enable the state to continue to pay salaries as a result .of declining revenues due to lower oil prices   link

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Cutebwoy:  Zebari: America supervises the transfer and transfer of Iraqi funds. Pompeo sent a message to Baghdad and Erbil

01/2021/07 22:01

Baghdad Today _ Follow up

The leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Hoshibar Zebari, said that most of Iraq’s money is in American banks for oil sales, while Washington is transporting the money “cash” to Baghdad by aircraft.

Hoshibar Zebari said in a televised interview that she followed (Baghdad today), that “Iraq is on a hot plate due to the US-Iranian escalation,” noting that “the period until January 20 is tense and troubling until the transfer of power from the current President Donald Trump to the elected Joe Biden.”

Zebari added, “Iran does not want escalation, and this is auspicious, but we fear undisciplined groups,” noting that “what is currently being targeted are logistical convoys of Iraqi contractors with the international coalition.”

He continued, “US Secretary of State Mark Pompeo informed Baghdad and Erbil that the continued attacks against the American embassy in Baghdad will push Washington to close it,” indicating that “the closure of the American embassy will perhaps pave the way for the closure of foreign embassies and the United Nations mission, which will create a dangerous diplomatic vacuum.”

The leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party asserted that “Iraq is going through an economic crisis, and the embassy closure will pave the way for investment to leave and prevent investors from coming,” suggesting that there will be “2,500 American diplomats in Iraq after reducing the number of embassy cadres.”

Regarding the US military moves in the Gulf region, Zebari said, “The massive US military moves in the Gulf region sent a message to Iran that it should not consider any action as the anniversary of the assassination of the Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani arrives.”

In the file of Iraqi funds in the United States, the former minister said, “The majority of Iraqi funds are in American banks for oil sales, and are transported through planes as cash money to Iraq, and this matter is continuing, and I was briefed on it by Estzari days of the Ministry of Finance,” pointing out that “the states The United States could do a lot that would harm Iraq economically if targeted.

”Regarding the devaluation of the Iraqi currency, he stressed that “the option to go towards raising the value of the dollar against the dinar is not new, and when I was in the government, we used to hesitate to go towards it due to fears that it would harm citizens, but now there is no option in front of the government, as you say.”

And the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party stated that “the change of the exchange rate took place in consultation with the leaders of the political forces,” noting that “the government white paper is ambitious and good, and it was written to reform the economic situation and convince the international community to help Iraq, but it will only be applied with boldness and correct leadership.” .

Zebari: America supervises the transfer and transfer of Iraqi funds. Pompeo sent a message to Baghdad and Erbil

Tishwash:  Is Al-Kazemi planning an Iraqi Ritz-Carlton operation?

The idea seems inspiring to those who depend on the Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi, but the implementation of what Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman did, which later became known as the “Ritz Hotel”, it is not easy in Iraq, even if the desire is there, according to what politicians say They spoke about this report.

Analysts and observers of political affairs believe that the entire process is not real, and those close to the prime minister worked on this “propaganda” as part of the efforts to export the prime minister as a “strong man”, at a time when a deputy in the Integrity Committee says that the idea is “close to the truth.” little bit.

A “ complex ” road that the political blocs will not take 

“There is a kind of promotion by those close to Al-Kazemi, for this issue and its spread in the media, and the political blocs have not and will not accept such steps because it means the beginning of the end of their control over the political reality in Iraq.” So Dr. Iyad Al-Anbar, a professor of political science, commented on It is being circulated, albeit on a small scale, regarding the possibility of realizing the operation of the “ Ritz Hotel ” in Iraq, similar to what Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman did, who left the “ Ritz-Carlton Hotel ” operation in Riyadh, with $ 100 billion, according to international reports. .

In his speech to (Baghdad Today), Al-Ambar added: “It is not easy to present such files in the political reality, and there are those who try to polish the steps of Al-Kazemi and his government in steps to fight corruption by putting up propaganda that has nothing to do with reality,” as he put it.

A professor of political science at the University of Kufa continues his speech by saying that “corruption operations, whether at the level of deals or wasting public money, have turned into a conversation at all political and legislative levels and even within the judicial corridors, and there is full knowledge of what is happening,” indicating that “it is possible to resort to an office. Financial control, to determine the negligence and hold them accountable judicially.

He continued: “On the other hand, there is political reluctance to open corruption files, because after 2003 the real (red line), in the political process in Iraq, is to open major corruption files and uncover those behind them.”

Amber said, “It is not possible to talk about making deals with corruption whales, except by using force, and forcing them to conclude those deals later, to get the money back from them.”

Earlier in the day, the local newspaper Al-Mada published, citing unnamed sources, that “Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi agreed with the heads of political blocs to issue arrest warrants against (22) government officials involved in the theft and smuggling of funds estimated at more than 150 Billion dollar”.

Citing its sources, she added, “The government anti-corruption committee in charge of investigations, in files of corruption and exceptional crimes, will reveal the names of those involved in looting and money laundering, including former ministers, a current minister, deputy minister and head of an independent body.”

The newspaper warned that “the political deal also stipulated that the government release the suspects after their arrest in exchange for paying the money they looted and returning it to the state treasury, which suffers from severe financial hardship after the decline in oil prices due to the repercussions of the Corona pandemic.”

She added, “The Anti-Corruption Committee led by Abu Ragheef has completed investigations with a number of government officials, and will soon issue arrest warrants against (22) officials between a former and current minister, an undersecretary, a director general, and the head of an independent commission.”

The newspaper goes on to say that “the defendants involved in large corruption files will be overthrown before the courts in the near future.”

In the same regard, Dr. Hussein Allawi, a professor of political science at Nahrain University, believes that there are three tracks that the current government is working on to combat corruption.

In an interview with (Baghdad Today), Allawi states that “the Iraqi government is determined to combat corruption, through three tracks (the criminal path, the reform path of the functional work environment, the path of financial, technological mountain automation and public services).”

He pointed out that “the Iraqi government has worked to focus on fighting corruption on the middle leadership driving corruption, after identifying 40 corruption files and working on them.”

He stressed, “The Iraqi judiciary will ultimately decide on the preliminary investigative measures through the results of the Supreme Anti-Corruption Committee.

He went on to say, “Fighting corruption is a long road that needs a new methodology in confronting it and collecting the people’s money from the corrupt,” noting that “restoring the state is the safest way to end corruption in Iraq.”

Parliament’s integrity: The origin of the Diwaniya Commission 29 is to initiate settlement processes

Returning to the “ Ritz Baghdad ” and the possibility of achieving it in post-2003 Iraq, a member of the Parliamentary Integrity Committee, Representative Alia Nassif, said, “The origin of the Diwaniya Committee (29) is that there are settlement processes between Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi and between Those accused of corruption files, similar to what happened in Saudi Arabia and Syria, and the Iraqi general amnesty law stipulated something similar to those settlements.

After his arrival in the prime minister, Al-Kazemi formed a committee to investigate corruption, which has so far managed to deliver a number of medium-sized officials, including the director of the National Retirement Authority, to arrest.

Nassif added in her speech to (Baghdad Today), “The political blocs objected to concluding any settlement deals with the tools of political parties and economic committees responsible for stealing public money and returning part of the money that was stolen in exchange for the legal release of liability for those who cooperate with the government, which led to The formation of the Diwaniya Committee (29).

And she continued, “The aforementioned Diwaniya Order Committee came as a Caesarean operation to pursue the corrupt in the Iraqi state, but it did not produce significant results in dealing with major thieves of public money.”

Anti-Corruption Activist: The road is deadlocked in settlement deals

Regarding the extent of the implementation of “ deals of understanding with the corrupt ” in light of the effective Iraqi laws, Saeed Yassin Musa, an anti-corruption activist, said: “It is not possible to close or settle any corruption file through the exploitation of influence and the adoption of political deals.”

A former member of the Anti-Corruption Council added, in his speech to (Baghdad Today), “Iraqi law adopts the principle: (Cases are not subject to the statute of limitations).

He stressed, “All cases, and if they are closed, it is possible to open them and re-investigate them again, and therefore it is not possible for the political blocs to close any corruption case without the judiciary’s decision in accordance with the law.”

He concluded by saying, “Those accused of corruption and money theft cannot be tolerated without recovering the stolen money, and this is what was stipulated in the General Amnesty Law in 2016. link