SULAIMANI (ESTA) — The Kurdistan Parliament on Tuesday divided into two parts after part of the lawmakers walked out of the legislature’s session.
The parliament held a session on Tuesday to vote on the first amendments to a bill on illegally taken or used land in municipalities and to finish the second readings of three bills, according to the Kurdistan parliament.
Part of the opposition and independence lawmakers asked speaker Rewaz Fayaq to discuss and vote to end cuts to salaries of public servants.
In 2020, the KRG began cutting 21 percent from salaries of public servants whose payment is above 300,000 dinars ($206) to cope with an economic crisis that hit the Region due to a drop in oil prices and the halt of budget transfers to the Region by the federal government.
Tensions broke out after the parliament’s presidency, including speaker, deputy speaker and secretary, rejected to discuss salary cuts during Tuesday’s session.
The parliament’s speaker suspended the session temporary, according to several lawmakers.
Nearly 18 lawmakers were prevented from participating in the session again and the gate of the parliament’s hall was closed on them, they said.
The other lawmakers from the two main parties and minorities continued on the parliament’s program.
Lawmaker from Change Movement (Gorran) Ashna Abdulla said a large number of police were brought in to prevent the legislators to attend the session.
“It is unacceptable,” the lawmaker said in a press conference. “Our only weapon is speech. We cause no danger. Why they don’t allow members of the parliament to attend the session.”
MP Kawa Abdulqadir told reporters that the parliament had gathered a large number of security forces outside the gate of the parliament’s hall, blocking the “lawmakers who have shown stance and were with the ending to salary cuts from entering the session”.
“This is illegal. This is a black spot in the history of Kurdistan,” he said.
Lawmaker Abubakir Haladni said the parliament’s presidency informed the other lawmakers to go back to the session through calls and messages.
“Is it reasonable that people don’t have water, electricity and livings, but they vote on postages?” he said.
“If the government cannot take its responsibility and the parliament cannot do its duty, they must resign and early elections must be held,” he added.
