Iraqi lawmaker urges parliament to vote on Internal Audit Board law

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Baha al-Areji, head of the parliamentary Reform and Development Bloc, called on parliament's leadership to place the Internal Audit Board Law on the agenda of upcoming sessions and move it to a vote. Speaking at a press conference at the parliament building, al-Areji said the legislation is necessary to curb the spread of financial corruption and that Iraq needs a legal framework suited to current conditions. Al-Areji noted that the draft law had been introduced during the previous government but was never concluded, and said the al-Ziyadi cabinet has now adopted it, with the Council of Ministers approving it at its latest meeting. He said his bloc fully supports the file and described the law as directly tied to the Council of Ministers, bridging a legal and oversight gap between the government, the government inspector general and the Financial Audit Office. Al-Areji warned that some blocs could attempt to obstruct the bill in parliament as they did in cabinet. The call comes as the government continues an anti-corruption campaign launched on Sunday, which has led to the detention of numerous lawmakers and officials and the recovery of hundreds of billions of dinars to the state treasury.