Iraqi President Calls for National Dialogue to Boost Reforms

Date: 16 October 2019 - 22:11

News ID: ۷۱۷۷۱

BAGHDAD (Dispatches) – Iraqi President Barham Salih has called for a national dialogue to promote reform demanded by the Iraqi people, asserting the urgent need to amend the election law.
A statement by his office Salih said that "Iraq is on the verge of major transformations, and we need major reforms that restore confidence (of Iraqi people) in the country's system of governance."
Salih made the remarks while receiving in his office representatives of the United Nations, the Iraqi Electoral Commission, media and activists, the statement said.
"We call for a national dialogue in which we address the imbalances in the system of governance in our country, to achieve a free and dignified life for our people," Salih said.
In a separate statement, he asserted the need to deal seriously and responsibly with the legitimate demands of the demonstrators, during a meeting with former Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.
The statements came after a wave of protests in many cities in central and southern Iraq over the worsening living conditions which threatened to drag the crisis-ridden state back into violence and disintegration.
The protests claimed the lives of over 100 people, including eight security members, and wounded 6,107 others.
The Iraqi cabinet approved the second package of reforms, including distribution of residential plots of land to citizens, expansion of municipal borders of cities, and changing agricultural land into residential.
The planned reforms also contain freezing the law, which allows payment of several salaries to one public servant, providing jobs for young people and activation of the agricultural lending fund.
Additionally, the Iraqi cabinet endorsed a possible study to minimize the age of retirement to give more jobs to the youth.
Last week, the Iraqi cabinet issued a decree with more than a dozen planned reforms, including land distributions, military enlistment and increased welfare stipends for needy families, AFP news agency reported.