The High Economic Council of the Kurdistan Region convened on Sunday under the chairmanship of KRG premier Masrour Barzani and in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani.

The meeting discussed the development of the economic situation, the regulation of public revenues and the improvement of the living standards of the citizens.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Prime Minister stressed that the government's priority is to provide salaries to the Kurdistan Region, and for this purpose, the government will make every effort to increase public revenues and reduce unnecessary expenditures so that it can continue to provide public services and projects, and provide job opportunities to the people of the Kurdistan Region.

In the first part of the meeting, the tax and customs regulation mechanism and the tax collection mechanism were discussed and it was decided that the Deputy Prime Minister will oversee the tax and customs regulation process.

It has been reiterated that the ninth cabinet has not increased any taxes, but has only regulated the manner in which taxes are collected, and that the taxes already set by law will be collected without adverse effects on the livelihoods of the citizens, especially the poor and marginalized.

The meeting also stressed the need to strike a balance between preserving domestic production and determining prices and preventing embezzlement and price hikes, and the relevant ministries were instructed to implement the guidelines in the interests of the Kurdistan Region and in the public interest.

In another part of the meeting, and in order to facilitate investors and remove red tape within the framework of the ninth cabinet agenda, it was decided to relinquish powers specific to the investment sector and to authorize investment projects for governorates and independent administrations.