Iraqi parliament holds first reading of 2013-2015 closing accounts; State of Law bloc rejects vote

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's parliament held a first reading on Saturday of a draft law on the closing accounts for the fiscal years 2013, 2014 and 2015, according to a statement from the State of Law parliamentary bloc read by MP Suad al-Saidi. Al-Saidi said the accounts had been sent to parliament by the government of former Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi in 2021 and should now be revisited by the current government to begin the legal process. The State of Law bloc voted against the first reading during the session and asked the parliament's presidency to annul the vote. The bloc did not immediately say what legal grounds it cited for its objection. The parliament's Finance Committee had previously announced that the legal procedures for the closing-account bills covering the 2012-2015 period had been completed. The committee also called on the government to finalize and submit to parliament the closing accounts for the years 2016 through 2025 as soon as possible. No further details on the next procedural steps for the draft law were immediately available.