ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Recent decisions from Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court regarding the Kurdistan Region have received opposing reactions from the Kurdish ruling parties and conflicting statements from Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) officials.
The court has issued several rulings in recent years, with the latest being the dissolution of the Kurdistan parliament and the introduction of new rules for upcoming elections, which includes the elimination of quota seats.
The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the KRG have rejected the decisions and called the court an “unconstitutional” body that is acting against the interests of the Region.
Bafel Talabani, leader of the KDP’s main rival and cabinet ally the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), praised the rulings issued by the federal court.
“We support the rulings of the federal court and its role in preserving the constitution, justice and the democratic system, and we also reject all defamation and ill-treatment against the federal court - which is an independent and professional court,” Talabani said on Friday.
Hours later, KRG spokesperson Peshawa Hawramani, a KDP appointee, indirectly slammed Talabani’s statement.
“Those who support this court from Kurdistan do so only because it works as per their interests and issues unconstitutional rulings,” he said, calling his targets traitors.
Samir Hawrami, spokesperson for KRG Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, who is Bafel Talabani’s brother and a member of the PUK, disowned Hawramani’s statement.
“A person has released a statement under the name of the Kurdistan Regional Government spokesperson regarding the ruling of the federal court and the rights of the civil servants,” Hawrami said, adding that Hawramani’s comments do not represent the position of the PUK’s cabinet team.
“In the ninth cabinet, we have never had anyone as a spokesperson whose comments represent the policy and stance of the PUK team,” Qubad Talabani’s spokesperson said, adding that Hawramani only represents the KDP members of the cabinet.
The KDP pulled out of the election in protest over Federal Supreme Court rulings that eliminated minority seats in the Kurdish legislature and imposed a four-constituency system on the June vote. The latest court case was filed by a member of the PUK.
The KDP’s politburo said that the court ruling was a continuation of its “unconstitutional rulings against the Kurdistan Region in the past four years” and an attempt to “return Iraq to a centralized system.”
The court has issued several rulings in recent years, with the latest being the dissolution of the Kurdistan parliament and the introduction of new rules for upcoming elections, which includes the elimination of quota seats.
The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the KRG have rejected the decisions and called the court an “unconstitutional” body that is acting against the interests of the Region.
Bafel Talabani, leader of the KDP’s main rival and cabinet ally the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), praised the rulings issued by the federal court.
“We support the rulings of the federal court and its role in preserving the constitution, justice and the democratic system, and we also reject all defamation and ill-treatment against the federal court - which is an independent and professional court,” Talabani said on Friday.
Hours later, KRG spokesperson Peshawa Hawramani, a KDP appointee, indirectly slammed Talabani’s statement.
“Those who support this court from Kurdistan do so only because it works as per their interests and issues unconstitutional rulings,” he said, calling his targets traitors.
Samir Hawrami, spokesperson for KRG Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, who is Bafel Talabani’s brother and a member of the PUK, disowned Hawramani’s statement.
“A person has released a statement under the name of the Kurdistan Regional Government spokesperson regarding the ruling of the federal court and the rights of the civil servants,” Hawrami said, adding that Hawramani’s comments do not represent the position of the PUK’s cabinet team.
“In the ninth cabinet, we have never had anyone as a spokesperson whose comments represent the policy and stance of the PUK team,” Qubad Talabani’s spokesperson said, adding that Hawramani only represents the KDP members of the cabinet.
The KDP pulled out of the election in protest over Federal Supreme Court rulings that eliminated minority seats in the Kurdish legislature and imposed a four-constituency system on the June vote. The latest court case was filed by a member of the PUK.
The KDP’s politburo said that the court ruling was a continuation of its “unconstitutional rulings against the Kurdistan Region in the past four years” and an attempt to “return Iraq to a centralized system.”
One of the lawsuits which led to the federal court ruling regarding the Kurdistan elections was filed by a PUK member.
Comments
Rudaw moderates all comments submitted on our website. We welcome comments which are relevant to the article and encourage further discussion about the issues that matter to you. We also welcome constructive criticism about Rudaw.
To be approved for publication, however, your comments must meet our community guidelines.
We will not tolerate the following: profanity, threats, personal attacks, vulgarity, abuse (such as sexism, racism, homophobia or xenophobia), or commercial or personal promotion.
Comments that do not meet our guidelines will be rejected. Comments are not edited – they are either approved or rejected.
Post a comment