Budget protests erupt in Iraq

[boomer113189]

2 - 26 - 2013

 

Baghdad (CNN) -- Protesters calling on Iraqi
lawmakers to approve the national budget took to the streets of Baghdad
on Tuesday, prompting security forces to shut main entrances into the
city.

The protests focused on
the heavily fortified green zone in central Baghdad. They were spurred
and organized by radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

In response to the
demonstrations, security forces blocked all bridges between two main
sections of Baghdad, and sealed entrances into the city proper, police
officials said.

Authorities were concerned the number of protesters could grow.

Demonstrators are
demanding movement on the $115 billion budget that was approved by
Iraq's Cabinet in October. Parliament still needs to pass the draft
legislation, and leaders of key political parties are struggling to
reach an agreement.

Kurdish Lawmaker Mahmoud
Othman told CNN the main sticking point in negotiations is the amount
allocated to oil service companies working in Iraq's semiautonomous
Kurdistan region.

Despite vast reserves and reliance on oil for government income, exploration in Iraq has been hindered by decades of conflict.

With the world's fourth-largest oil reserves, Iraq's government depends on oil revenues to fund more than 90% of its budget.

 

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