IHERC – European Affairs Magazine

Electoral commission yet to be provided with funds needed for referendum

30 Maggio 2017 BreakingNews @en di

The Kurdistan Region’s Independent High Electoral and Referendum Commission (IHERC) has yet to be provided with the funds needed for the referendum anticipated to be held this year on the region’s independence, spokesman Shirwan Zrar said. During a press conference held in Erbil following the committee’s meeting with Kurdish political parties under the auspices of the United Nations, the IHERC spokesman said the allocated money is sufficient only for the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections. “An average of 22 billion Iraqi dinars is set to be deposited to the commission’s account for the parliamentary and presidential elections”, Zrar said. A date for holding the Kurdistan Region’s referendum has yet to be scheduled. According to IHERC estimates there are around 3,500,000 eligible voters. The IHERC spokesman said the commission will attempt to use electronic services in the process of counting votes for an efficient process and to announce the result of the elections as soon as possible. The committee has been in touch with the Ministry of Health to combat voter fraud and have clear voter registration rolls, Zrar said.

Referendum won’t be held without Kurdistan parliament, said Referendum Commission spokesman.

The Kurdistan Region’s Independent High Electoral and Referendum Commission (IHERC) said a referendum on the region’s independence will not be held without Kurdistan Parliament. IHERC Spokesman Shirwan Zrar said during NRT’s Tawte program on Sunday (March 26) the Kurdistan Region’s Presidency (KRP) has decided to hold an election but the referendum will come from parliament. I believe that authority comes from the Kurdistan Parliament’s Presidency”, Zrar said. “Kurdistan Parliament is the only institution for a decision and mandate regarding the decisive subjects, according to the first and second term of Article 56 and Law No. 1 in 1993”. The IHERC spokesman said the Kurdistan Parliament should be reactivated and a law on the referendum should be made, noting, “That law is very important”.