Debate Renewed Over Oil Revenue Surplus

"Iraq has the world's second-largest oil reserves and nearly $80 billion in the Central Bank, and the people have the right to enjoy the country’s resources,” Abtan added. “There are different political and parliamentary views regarding the way the resources will be distributed. Some prefer to pay sums of money, whereas others suggest supporting the ration card system and distributing land to the poor,” he explained.

According to Abtan, “Iraqi citizens do not have any hope that politicians and parliamentarians will be able to successfully carry out the distribution of resources.” He noted, “The direct distribution of surplus is not easy, particularly since Iraq does not have a database and advanced banking systems.”

Ibrahim al-Mutlaq, a member of the parliamentary finance committee, raises another problem that obstructs the implementation of the project.

Mutlaq told Al-Monitor, “Even if there is a budget surplus, it cannot be easily distributed.” He pointed out that “a problem will arise on how it will be distributed. Will it be according to the census, and are the citizens in oil-producing provinces going to receive the same sum as those in the nonproducing provinces?”

He continued, “The budget surplus is distributed in advance to the electricity sector and emergency budget. … At this time, the issue is not free of electoral propaganda.”

Speaking to Al-Monitor, Nahida Daini, a member of the economic committee, suggested the “establishment of a fund to support the housing sector from the budget surplus.”

Omar al-Shaher is a contributor to Al-Monitor’s Iraq Pulse. His writing has appeared in publications including France’s Le Monde, Iraq's Alesbuyia, Egypt’s Al-Ahaly and the Elaph website. He previously covered political and security affairs for Iraq's Al-Mada newspaper.

(Picture: Oil Ministry HQ)