Halbusi asks for replacement names for top civil service posts

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq’s parliament speaker, Hussein al-Halbusi, on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaydi to submit alternative names for the head of the Federal Civil Service Council, Muhi Murtaza, and his deputy, Ershed Abduljabbar. The request was made in an official document, which said the two officials had begun their duties without taking their oaths before the Iraqi Parliament. Al-Halbusi said that amounted to a serious breach of the requirements of public office and called for corrective action. A letter sent by parliament stressed the need to follow constitutional and legal procedures when appointing senior officials. It also asked that the matter be handled within the current constitution and applicable laws to prevent similar cases from recurring.