SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani said the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) would export 250,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) through Baghdad once the federal budget was adopted by the Iraqi parliament, according to a lawmaker.
“The deputy premier said six times, ‘once the budget is approved, we will deliver 250,000 bpd straight away’,” Ali Hama Salih cited Talabani as saying during a meeting with the Kurdistan parliament’s presidency and heads of the committees on Monday (December 28).
“I am responsible for this speech,” the KRG deputy premier was cited as saying.
A KRG delegation led by Talabani visited the Kurdistan parliament on Monday to discuss its meetings with the federal government’s officials regarding the Region’s share of budget for 2021 and other issues including oil transfers.
The KRG deputy prime minister said on Tuesday that Erbil and Baghdad had reached an agreement over the 2021 federal budget bill, approved by the Iraqi Council of Ministers last week.
The draft budget law commits the Kurdistan Region to export 250,000 barrels of oil per day through Baghdad in exchange for the Region’s share of the federal budget, which is set at 12.67%.
The delegation which stayed in Baghdad for two weeks met with Iraqi officials and political leaders in an effort to reach a final deal over the rights and financial entitlements of the Kurdistan Region.
Factions of the Kurdistan Islamic Group and the Kurdistan Islamic Union walked out of the meeting with the KRG delegation on Monday, saying all lawmakers should have participated in the meeting.
“The Parliament’s presidency has become a part of the government and has lost its independency as an institution elected by people,” head of the KIG bloc Abdulstar Majid told reporters.
