Iraqi lawmaker says commissions of up to 30% charged on state contracts

BAGHDAD, Iraq — A member of Iraq's parliament said on Wednesday that commissions ranging from 15% to 30% are being taken on state contracts, with some companies paying the amounts to win deals in exchange for private invitations and tenders where competition exists only in form. The lawmaker, from the EAli ez-Zeydi Matters Coalition in the Iraqi parliament, said the information came directly from contractors and called for all state contracts to be published electronically, including their value, the companies that applied, the winning bidder and implementation rates. Transparency, the lawmaker said, would allow oversight of projects and public spending and support anti-corruption efforts. Iraq's current anti-corruption campaign was described as the most serious to date, with the state and the Supreme Judicial Council having recovered more than $300 million so far. The lawmaker added that the recovered sum was only a beginning compared with funds lost over the years and that a draft law aimed at clawing back money from corrupt figures was being debated in parliament. The statement also warned that Iraq faces serious political, economic, security and geopolitical risks, with the economy still dependent on oil exports. Without a productive structure, the lawmaker said, resources are either stolen or wasted.