The implementation of the Oil and Gas Law has been temporarily halted until the provincial council elections come to an end. There are confirmed reports that the government committee responsible for completing the law is studying the various opinions submitted by the provinces, including the region, to ensure that the law is presented to Parliament in an optimal manner for voting. The aim is to guarantee the rights of all provinces involved.
Currently, there are some reservations from the region, which are hoped to be resolved through more frequent meetings between the delegations of Baghdad and Erbil following the completion of the local elections in December.
“The representative of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Sherif Suleiman, has stated that the oil and gas law is currently under review by a government committee that is considering the opinions and proposals presented by different governorates. Suleiman also mentioned that the Kurdistan region has presented their own proposal for the law to the committee.”
According to him, “The State Administration Coalition has put forward five proposals. A small committee has been formed to study these proposals and work towards finding common ground and agreement between all parties involved in proposing the law. Although there is no agreement on a specific proposal at the moment, the committee is focused on finding a solution that everyone can agree on.”
According to Shirwan Al-Dobardani, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Regions Committee and member of the negotiating delegation, both the regional and central boards have agreed to halt their meetings until the provincial council elections are completed.
After the results of the local elections are announced, negotiations will resume. The two delegations have made significant progress, and there is a desire to approve the law early next year.
The Sadiqoun parliamentary bloc’s representative, Suhaila Al-Sultani, stated that various political parties are currently working together to resolve the oil and gas law matter. They aim to finalize it and submit it to the House of Representatives for discussion, reading, and voting.
He emphasized that despite any potential political confusion, the Iraqi people consider this law to be of utmost importance. Therefore, passing it within Parliament through consensus among the representatives is in the best interest of the public.
