Economic expert Dr. Safwan Qusay says Iraq may be better off passing a special spending law for the rest of this year rather than moving forward with a full budget law now.
He said the remaining months of the year may not require a new full budget and suggested focusing instead on preparing the 2027 budget.
According to Qusay, a temporary spending law could help fund key obligations for the rest of 2026, including salaries, food basket support, and ration card programs.
He also said the Ministry of Finance should focus on legally mandated spending while using oil revenues, other income sources, and domestic borrowing to cover any gaps.
Qusay added that some funds tied up in paused investment projects could potentially be redirected to help support operational spending.
His proposal centers on keeping essential spending covered now while shifting attention toward next year’s budget planning.
