Iraqi parliament to take up traffic fines bill after summer recess

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraqi lawmaker Midhar al-Kuraiyi said on June 10, 2026 that work on legislation governing traffic fines will intensify once parliament returns from its July recess. He said the complete removal of traffic penalties is not possible, but argued that fair limits should be set in light of citizens' economic conditions and that fines should not be increased exponentially. Al-Kuraiyi said the traffic fines file has been raised repeatedly in meetings with the parliament's presidency and has drawn differing views from members. He added that his office receives dozens of complaints daily from various cities, calling for changes to traffic laws to allow greater flexibility in enforcement. Annual statistics on traffic accidents and fatalities remain at concerning levels, he said. Separately, the spread of an electronic ticketing system nationwide and tighter enforcement in some cities have intensified public complaints about the financial burden of traffic penalties. Al-Kuraiyi did not specify a timeline for legislative action following the recess.