Iraq audit finds 100 trillion dinar in budget overruns, unsecured advances for 2012-2015

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Federal Financial Audit Bureau has reported major budget overruns and unsecured advance payments in state accounts covering 2012 to 2015, with the chairman saying unreconciled advances accumulated since 2004 now total around 100 trillion dinars. Bureau records show appropriation overruns of 6 trillion dinars in 2012, 3.7 trillion dinars in 2013 and 1.7 trillion dinars in 2015. A clear figure for 2014 was not disclosed. Unsecured advance payments reached approximately 9 trillion dinars in 2012, 12.7 trillion dinars in 2013 and 19 trillion dinars in 2014. Bureau President Ammar Subhi al-Mashhadani said in July that accumulated, unsettled advances since 2004 had reached roughly 100 trillion dinars. He added that company receivables owed to the treasury stood at 24 trillion dinars, while uncollected liquidation amounts totaled 4 trillion dinars. Lawmaker Basil al-Garrabi said the audit bureau's report runs to 670 pages and that the questioned payments were distributed across ministries, agencies, individuals and projects. No further details on the cases or pending steps were immediately available.