Official: Iraqi PMs downsizing initiative means big savings

By RÛDAW yesterday at 08:01

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The head of the Iraqi Parliament’s Finance Committee said on Sunday that Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi’s decision to scratch the positions of six vice presidents and deputy premiers would mean better decision making and savings for the treasury.

“Eliminating deputies of the Iraqi presidency and government will restore 6 billion Iraqi dinars (more than $5 million) to the country’s treasury,” Masoud Haider told Rudaw.

“Each of these deputies has a regiment of bodyguards and each would have received one billion dinars per month,” he said.

In an effort to implement a series of political reforms Abadi announced early Sunday he was eliminating the posts of vice president and other high-ranking positions, and reducing the excessive number of official bodyguards.

A statement from Abadi’s office read that, “The posts of Vice President and deputy prime minister would be eliminated immediately.” Thes decision removes Nouri al-Maliki as vice president, a post he has been occupying since he was forced to step down as prime minister last year.

Haidar called Abadi’s initiative “a giant and a courageous step to reform.”

Abadi’s decision came only days after Iraqis took to the streets nationwide, demanding better services and an end to corruption.

A year-long war with the Islamic State (ISIS) group, widespread official corruption in the previous government and a drop in oil prices – Iraq’s main export – has virtually emptied the Iraqi government’s coffers, according to high-ranking officials.