Iraqi Parliament Approves Abadi's Reform Package: State TV
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iraq's parliament voted to unanimously approve Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's reform package, Speaker Saleem al-Jabouri said during a session on Tuesday broadcast live on state television.
Abadi had proposed measures to reduce corruption and save money in the face of mounting unrest. They include eliminating a layer of senior government positions, ending sectarian and party quotas for government positions and reopening corruption investigations, Reuters reported.
Abadi’s seven-point plan would dismantle portions of the top-heavy government created in the wake of the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Dictator Saddam Hussein.
It would reduce spending on personal bodyguards for officials and transfer the responsibility to the interior and defense ministries. The plan also calls for the review of all corruption cases by a committee of experts, with fresh trials for officials suspected of wrongdoing.
About a thousand demonstrators gathered Sunday in support of Abadi in Baghdad’s Tahrir Square. Despite near-daily bombings and attacks in Baghdad, the square has been the scene of peaceful protests in recent days over frequent power cuts during an intense heat wave.