The Chairman of Kirkuk Provincial Council disclosed in a special interview with "KirkukNow" on Sunday October 13, that the bylaws of the council have been finalized, and the council is to vote in a special session within the next two days, on the heads and members of the local committees.
Mohammed Al-Hafez confirmed that invitations have been sent to the boycotting members of the Arabs, Turkmen and Kurds, indicating that we want them to take their real role, whether participating with us in the council or opposing monitors of the political process.
KirkukNow: Council meetings have been suspended. What steps are being taken to ensure the council fulfills its responsibilities?
Mohammed Al-Hafez: The process of forming the local government went through difficult circumstances due to the complex internal circumstances that accompanied it. The political boycott of some components of the province cast its shadow over the completion of the process of forming committees due to different political orientations. However, the Kirkuk government was formed and we are determined to provide the best for the province.
KirkukNow: Is there a scenario and path for Kirkuk to emerge from the crisis of forming the government and the conflict between all parties?
Mohammed Al-Hafez: Our initiatives and calls for the boycotting brothers have continued since the formation of the government, and we have addressed the Turkmen Front more than once to join the council and take their real and supervisory role in the Kirkuk Provincial Council.
We have set a date for a session of the provincial council within the next two days and have extended invitations to all council members to attend the session. Its agenda will be announced, which is supposed to include voting on the council's internal regulations and choosing heads of the committee.
As for the council bylaws, we have made some amendments to them with the help of specialized professors from the College of Law and Political Science, and the final version has been revised and is now ready for voting.
The boycotting members are my colleagues in the council and I am keen to meet them almost daily. However, the boycott and disagreement are related to political vision and orientations. They have a point of view in the boycott. However, we hope to have an opposition party within the council to evaluate the work of the council and improve its performance.
We hope to have an opposition party within the council to evaluate the work of the council and improve its performance.
KirkukNow: Are there any procedures against members who do not attend council sessions?
Mohammed Al-Hafez: The boycotting council members are our colleagues and we do not want to enter into a dispute with anyone. The boycotters are waiting for the decision of the Administrative Court, and after that we believe that they will join the sessions. We do not want to enter into intersections and disputes with our colleagues in the council, and we are all determined to provide the best service for the city of Kirkuk.
There is a provision in the provincial council’s law that states that a member who is absent for four consecutive sessions will have his membership terminated, so if we hold the session, we will enter into a legal aspect as it is the fifth session held by the council, and we will be keen to notify all members to attend and we will work to distribute the committees and activate their role so that members can exercise their real role in the provincial council.
KirkukNow: What are the priorities of the council that was established several months ago?
Mohammed Al-Hafez: During the next session, the committees will be divided and the internal regulations of the council will be announced. Our priorities include preserving the social harmony and achieving peace among all components. We, as a provincial council, have planted a seed based on true partnership between everyone and rejecting previous policies based on exclusion and marginalization. We hope that the boycotting gentlemen will join the council, participate in its sessions, and take their real role as partners in the province.
As a work context, we directed to inform the members that there is a session and we will include its agenda, and those who want to attend are welcome, and those who maintain their position in boycotting, that is another discussion, as long as there is a majority to hold the session, there is no harm in holding it and proceeding with completing the work of the council.
The boycotters are waiting for the decision of the Administrative Court, and after that we believe they will join the sessions.
KirkukNow: Do you have information about the timing of sending the budget?
Mohammed Al-Hafez: Kirkuk's budget for 2024 is a supplementary budget for ongoing projects only, as for new projects, we can work on them in 2025.
KirkukNow: Does the council have a clear vision of how to distribute the governorate's budget and what are its priorities?
Mohammed Al-Hafez: The formation of Kirkuk Provincial Council was delayed a lot, however, we do not want to enter into a feud with anyone. We are working to unite and include everyone, which is a basic and primary goal in our work as a council. The people of Kirkuk expect us to provide them with a real service, and we are working hard on that. As an engineer, I have previously worked on many projects, and I will have a special and precise vision in the work and distribution of important projects in the province.
We will also discuss their needs with the technical department in the province and with the administrative units, and thus there will be a vision and decision on the projects that will proceed, and we will have an impact on the status of investment and economic projects in the province.
KirkukNow: What is the financial status of Kirkuk province?
Mohammed Al-Hafez: Not only Kirkuk, but the country in general is going through a financial crisis, and we hope for the support of the central government for the next stage, considering that the Kirkuk government is young and was formed in difficult circumstances, and we need real support from the central government to launch major construction projects in the province, especially since there are some projects that have been completely halted for a very long time, and we met recently with the Minister of Finance and the officials and they promised us good in providing financial support to complete the halted projects.
*This story has been produced as part of the 'Budget is Your Right' initiative, with support from the National Democratic Institute (NDI).
