Iraq cabinet halts new investment contracts to curb spending

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Council of Ministers, chaired by Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zeydi, held its seventh regular session of the year and approved a series of measures covering electricity supply, environmental protection and public-sector spending. The cabinet directed relevant ministries and agencies to improve performance in electricity services, particularly in maintenance, repair and fault response. To increase power supply during the summer peak, owners of private generators will receive 45 liters of gas oil per kilowatt free of charge in July and August, and citizens will be guaranteed at least 20 hours of uninterrupted electricity per day. The Ministry of Migration and Displaced Persons was authorized to continue removing water hyacinth from the Tigris River to protect it from untreated discharges and to mitigate the impact of drought-driven internal displacement. Citing the need to curb spending, the cabinet suspended all new investment contracts by ministries and independent bodies, offering companies the option to postpone or voluntarily terminate existing agreements. Thursday, June 25, was declared a public holiday across all ministries and public institutions to mark the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein and his companions. A draft law establishing a Federal Internal Audit Bureau was also referred to Iraq's parliament. No further details on the audit legislation were immediately available.