TNT – “Tidbits From TNT” Tuesday Morning 8-5-2025

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Tishwash:  Today, Parliament holds its final session of the second term, with 10 items on the agenda.

The House of Representatives intends to hold its fourth session of the second term of its fourth and final legislative year today, Tuesday.

According to the agenda published by the media department, the parliament will vote on five laws and read five others. The parliamentary security and defense committee noted that all details of the Popular Mobilization Forces law have been finalized and submitted to the parliament presidency for a vote in the upcoming sessions .

According to today’s session agenda, the Council will vote on draft laws, amending Law No. 20 of 2020 on the Foundations of Equivalency of Degrees, the Renewable Energy Regulation Law, the Mental Health Law, amending the National Nuclear Regulatory Authority Law, and the law ratifying the Mutual Encouragement and Protection Agreement between Iraq and Saudi Arabia. The Council will also conduct first readings of three draft laws: the first amendment to the Sunni Endowment Law, the Juvenile Care Law, and the first amendment to the Minors Care Law. The Council will also conduct the second reading of the Army Aviation College Law and the proposed law regulating the rights of minors.

For his part, the head of the Parliamentary Security Committee, Karim Aliwi, stated that “the Popular Mobilization Law has been fully completed,” noting that “the committee hosted the leadership of the Popular Mobilization Authority, and its proposals and comments were incorporated into the final version of the law, ensuring the rights of the Mobilization’s members are preserved.” 

He explained that “the committee was keen to prepare a law that meets the requirements of the current stage and does justice to the fighters who made great sacrifices in the liberation battles, and all technical and legislative matters related to it have been completed  link

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Tishwash:  The Ministry of Finance denies a liquidity shortage and explains the reason for the delay.

The Ministry of Finance denied on Monday any shortage of financial liquidity, while indicating that it is fully secured until the end of the current fiscal year.

A statement from the Ministry of Finance received by Al-Mada stated that “the Accounting Department at the Ministry of Finance has begun funding the salaries of civilian and military retirees for the month of August 2025,” stressing that it has “completed the procedures for transferring the funding amounts to the National Retirement Authority, for disbursement by the relevant banks in accordance with approved procedures.”

She explained that “the delay in salary disbursements was due to the weekend being the time for foreign banks to send remittances for oil sales, which led to the postponement of remittances, which are normally only carried out on official holidays. She explained that salaries are fully secured until the end of the current fiscal year, and that claims of a liquidity shortage are unfounded.” 

The ministry called on “retirees to follow bank notifications starting today, noting that disbursements will be made gradually over the coming hours.”  link

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Tishwash:  The Ministerial Council for Economy forms a permanent committee with the participation of the Kurdistan Region to unify customs duties.

 The Ministerial Council for the Economy formed a permanent committee comprising representatives from the federal government and the Kurdistan Region, with the aim of unifying customs duties at all Iraqi border crossings and developing the customs work system. The meeting was held during a meeting dedicated to discussing Cabinet Resolution No. 270 of 2025, in the presence of officials from the ports and customs authorities from both the federal and regional sides.

A statement by the Council, a copy of which was received by {Euphrates News}, stated that: “Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Fuad Hussein chaired the 25th session of the Ministerial Council for the Economy, which was held in the Council building in the presence of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Planning, the Ministers of Finance, Trade, Agriculture, Industry, Labor and Social Affairs, the Secretary General of the Council of Ministers, the Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq, the Chairman of the Securities Commission, the Deputy Chairman of the National Investment Commission, and the Prime Minister’s Advisor for Legal Affairs.”

The Council noted that it would host the Chairman of the Border Ports Authority, the Director General and Director of the Legal Department of the Customs Authority in the Federal Government, and a delegation from the Kurdistan Region represented by the Advisor to the Ministry of Interior, the Director General of Customs, and the Director General of Relations with the representatives of the Region, to discuss Cabinet Resolution No. 270 of 2025 regarding customs tariffs and the unification of fees across all Iraqi border crossings.

He added, “After extensive discussions, the Council decided to form a permanent committee headed by the Prime Minister’s Advisor for Border Crossings and Customs Affairs, with membership of representatives at the level of Director General from the General Customs Authority in the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Trade, the Central Bank, the Border Crossings Authority, and two representatives from the Kurdistan Region to unify efforts, conduct periodic evaluations, and provide observations and opinions in order to develop customs work at all border crossings. Specialists in the Kurdistan Regional Government will also submit their observations and proposals regarding the above-mentioned Cabinet decision within a period of thirty days from the date of formation of the above-mentioned committee.”

The statement continued, “The Council also reviewed the World Bank report, along with the proposals and recommendations submitted by the committee responsible for studying the bank’s indicators on the business sector. These included taking the necessary measures to implement the reform paragraphs included in the executive plan within specific deadlines, particularly simplifying procedures, amending laws and legislation, improving services and the business and investment environment, and shifting to the use of digital technology in all transactions.”

He affirmed the Council’s approval of the Ministry of Industry’s request to allow the Baghdad Petrochemical Refinery Company to export oxidized asphalt through the Trebil border crossing. The Council also decided to recommend to the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers, after obtaining the Prime Minister’s approval, to issue a circular exempting foreign companies from opening branches in Iraq if their activity is related to supply contracts or providing consulting.  link