ERBIL - Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani has welcomed the parliament's decision to pass the landmark 'Reform Bill', saying that it is a "historic milestone towards a stronger Kurdistan."

The bill, proposed by the Kurdistan Regional Government and approved by the Council of Ministers, was passed by the legislature on Thursday with 89 approval votes.

"I welcome @KurdistanParl’s decision today to pass the Reform Bill into law, marking a historic milestone in our journey towards a StrongerKurdistan," Barzani wrote on Twitter.

"This Bill is central to the government’s plans to increase public trust, streamline public expenditure, and ensure a fair system for our valued public servants and brave Peshmerga forces," he added.

The Kurdish prime minister further reminded: "after forming the cabinet last year, I established a high-level committee, comprising of senior cabinet officials across the government, to review and strengthen the draft Reform Bill."

Concerning the main aim of the reform bill, PM Barzani pointed out that the final version provides important "guarantees" for public servants in regards to their salaries, pensions, and allowances, "reinforcing the principle that those who are entitled to public benefits are rewarded and protected appropriately."

The proposal also indicates that the KRG is committed to rooting out corruption, while it is also an important step towards making the civil services more modern, transparent, and professional so that it would provide better services to all people of the Kurdistan Region, Barzani concluded.

BasNews