Former Minister Zuhair al-Jalabi said Iraq’s oil and gas law could be passed in Parliament with the support of the Shiite majority. However, he believes the profits made from oil smuggling are one of the main reasons the law continues to be delayed.
Speaking to dinaropinions.com, al-Jalabi said the Shiite bloc and Kurdish parties keep shifting responsibility for the law onto each other. He argued that the Shiite bloc carries the main responsibility because it has enough seats in Parliament to pass the legislation.
He added that no single party should be blamed, as several groups benefit from keeping the current system in place. Ongoing oil smuggling and corruption in the oil sector have helped maintain the situation.
Al-Jalabi said the law has been delayed for years and could have been passed long ago if political groups had genuinely wanted to move forward. He believes the financial benefits some people gain from the current situation are a major reason the law remains on hold.