Kurdistan Region swears in Nechirvan Barzani as new president
Nechirvan Barzani thanked his predecessor, Masoud Barzani, for his leadership of the Kurdish nation since he was 16 years old. Nechirvan Barzani will now be the official commander-in-chief of all the Kurdistan Region's security forces. He will also be the de facto head of state.
“In future stages, we will make every effort to organize, strengthen Peshmerga forces as a part of Iraqi defense system," he said.
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) relations with Baghdad deteriorated after the events of October 2017, but have improved particularly since Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi came to power last year. But to continue improving, Barzani underscored, relations and work across local parties need to be more coordinated.
"In the political culture and media convention in the Kurdistan Region, we often stress on our rivalries and disagreements more than necessary. Let’s have harmony with each other from now on..." however Barzani said, “It is okay for rivalries and differences of opinion to remain."
Barzani spoke of a "new joint roadmap" for relations between Baghdad and Erbil.
“We had hope in the constitution, but it was unfortunately not implemented as it is to build the new Iraq all Iraqi nations dreamt of," he said.
The salaries and pensions of civil servants, pensions, budgets, and the Kurdistan Region's independent oil of exports have been impediments for previous governments.
“We should work together with the federal government in Baghdad to find shared solutions within the framework of the constitution of federal Iraq," he said.
The issue of the implementation of Article 140 for the disputed areas like Kirkuk and Shingal has been exasperated as Islamic State (ISIS) extremists remain active in security vacuums between Iraqi and Peshmerga forces.
“Through mutual understanding and joint work, we can once again revive our constitution, respect and implement it without discrimination so that ISIS is not created again, and the disasters that happened in Shingal, Iraq and the Kurdistan Region do not repeat," he said, referring to the genocide of the Yezidis and others in Kurdistan's history.
Let’s together “take constructive steps to agree on a joint roadmap for the country and governance without discriminating between nations, religions, sects and areas," he implored.
The political apparatus in the Kurdistan Region is often critiqued for being slow to respond to challenges.
“Swift changes in the Region need a shared vision," he said.
Nechirvan Barzani recalled the presidential system stems from calls during the Koya uprisings.
He also emphasized that the world owes the Peshmerga and the US-led international anti-ISIS coalition and Iraqi forces a debt of gratitude for their sacrifices.
Following his speech, the speaker of the Kurdistan Region parliament Vala Farid said this session at parliament would continue at 11 a.m. on Tuesday. The Kurdistan Democratic Party has nominated Masrour Barzani as its candidate for the premiership. He currently serves as the head of the Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC).
rudaw
