The weekly report (4th week of Jun 2015) Political Tension in Kurdistan Parliament, KDP rejects bill to change presidential system to parliamentary Rega TV (23rd of June, 2015) Erbil: Iraq’s Kurdistan parliaments hold its session in tensed atmosphere to discuss and read a number of draft laws, especially the draft amendment of the regional presidency law. The meeting came after the submission of a number of Kurdish political blocs for a bill that would turn the presidential system in Kurdistan region to parliamentary, something rejected by Kurdistan Democratic Party KDP and made them boycott the session. A member of Kurdistan parliament of the Islamic group m Soran Omar said, that the Speaker of Parliament asked the diplomatic missions in the region to attend Tuesday’s meeting to be informed on its events and supervise it. PUK and Islamic Union met in Erbil to discuss significant issues Yakgrto TV (24th of June, 2015) Erbil: A senior delegations of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and Islamic Union convened in Erbil on Tuesday, to discuss a few crucial subjects to do with Kurdistan Region, Iraq and the area especially PUK’s new bill to elect Kurdistan region president through parliament. PUK officials stated that “we have come to meet our brothers in Islamic Union Party and inform them about PUK perspective about the topics at issue in Kurdistan Region and Iraq so as to reach agreement and collective voice in a way that best serve the interest of our nation,” PUK keeps on holding talks with every party and attempts to find solutions to the pending problems. Extending the term of Kurdistan region presidency, was one of the key issues debated in the meeting. Gorran deputy refutes Iran’s mediation in Erbil-Baghdad disputes KNNC TV (24th of June, 2015) Erbil: A member of Change (Gorran) Movement, second party in Iraqi Kurdistan, denied reports that the Islamic Republic of Iran is mediating to settle differences between Erbil and Baghdad. Shrin Reza called this kind of news as baseless reports, Reza told this to media and said Iraqi’s must solve their problem by themselves. Parties in Iraqi Kurdistan oppose extending Barzani’s term: deputy Sharpress (25th of June, 2015) 1 Erbil: A parliament deputy from Change (Gorran) Movement, one of the main parties in Kurdistan region, stated that political parties in the region are against prolonging the region’s President Massoud Barzani’s term for a second time. Tavga Mirza told media that the parties are against prolonging the term of Barzani and they are putting their efforts into changing the region’s presidency system to a parliament system. She added that these parties are against prolonging Barzani’s term as they believe he has done nothing to the autonomous region despite being president for years. Wondering why Barzani stresses on remaining as region’s president while there are capable politicians which they can take his position. KDP explains the fact of its withdrawal from the Constitution Committee KDP info (25th of June, 2015) Erbil: Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) led by Massoud Barzani, President of Kurdistan region confirmed on Thursday, that it is with the national consensus and joint action in all the issues on the Kurdish scene, denying its withdrawal from the membership of the Committee of redrafting Kurdistan constitution. The member of Kurdistan Parliament, Ferst Sofi said that the rumors on the withdrawal of his party from re-drafting the constitution committee are “untrue. it is further to mentioned that some local Kurdish news reported that KDP’s members in re-drafting Kurdistan constitution committee declared their withdrawal after Kurdistan parliament hold a session for the first reading of the draft law of amending the presidency law of Kurdistan region. Kurdistan Parliament questioned ministers in the current cabinet more than 700 times! Krg.org (25th of June, 2015) Erbil: Iraq’s Kurdistan parliament revealed that they questioned the ministers of the current cabinet more than 700 times so far regarding the crises and different issues, mainly the ministers of natural resources, finance, interior and Peshmerga are the most questioned ones. Mawlud Bawa Murad, Kurdistan regional government KRG Minister for Parliament Affairs, stated that large numbers of questions were asked from the cabinet due to having many issues within this year. Kurdistan president condemns Islamic State attack on Kobani Rudaw media network (26th of June, 2015) Erbil: Iraqi Kurdistan region president Massoud Barzani condemned the Islamic State (IS) group’s attack on the Kurdish town of Kobani in Syrian Kurdistan. In a statement on Thursday, Barzani called on the international community to stand by Kobani and asked the US-led coalition to support Kurdish fighters in their fight against IS. Barzani described IS attack as inhumane and cruel. He also added that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is ready to support and aid the Kurds in Kobani and the rest of Syrian Kurdistan. It is further to mentioned that least than 180 Kurdish civilians and fighters were killed when the IS made a surprise return to Kobani on Thursday. 2 Democratic Union Party PYD in Iraqi Kurdistan accuses Turkey of harboring Islamic State Millet press (27th of June, 2015) Slemani: Representative of the democratic union party PYD in Iraq’s Kurdistan region, Gharib Hissou, accused on Saturday the Turkish government of covering up Islamic state group (IS) militants within its territory, noting that Turkey is trying to hit the gains of the Kurdish people wherever found. Hissou told media “that the government of Turkey is responsible for what happened in the Kurdish town of Kobani” Hissou added that “Turkey insists on striking gains and the will of the Kurdish people wherever they are,” urging the international community to “arm people’s protection units of the party to fight IS”. People’s protection units are the military wing of the Kurdish democratic union party in Syrian Kurdistan, and it was founded in 2012. Iraqi Kurdistan cities condemns Islamic State attack on Kobani Hawler news paper (28th of June, 2015) Slemani: Erbil and Slemani residents gathered condemning Thursday’s deadly attacks in the Kurdish city of Kobani in Syrian Kurdistan by Islamic State (IS) group, the gatherings showed their support to Kobani residents. Elsewhere, Kurds across Europe reacted with anger and frustration at Thursday’s deadly attacks on Kobani, and many showed their support with spontaneous rallies. Austria to open consulate office in Kurdistan Region: FM Krg.org (28th of June, 2015) Erbil: The Austrian government revealed its plan to open its honorary Consulate General in Iraq’s Kurdistan region capital Erbil in a near future. On Saturday the Foreign Ministry of Austria announced Austria will open the Austrian honorary consulate in Kurdistan Region, stressing Austria’s commitment to provide humanitarian aid and support for displaced persons in the region. Halabja mayor dismissed on corruption allegations NRT TV (30th of June, 2015) 3 Slemani: The mayor of the eastern Kurdish city of Halabja in Iraqi Kurdistan was dismissed from his post on Tuesday amid accusations of corruption while in office. Members of the Sulaimany provincial council voted 28 to one to dismiss Khider Karim, who had been summoned twice to answer to allegations of corruption before council members. Threats and targeted physical attacks on KNN and Kurdsat journalists in Erbil NRT TV (30th of June, 2015) Erbil: Metro center for journalist’s rights and advocacy condemned attacks on KNN and Kurdsat news channel journalists by Erbil security force. In the Past 24 hours, three KNN journalist were attacked physically, their camera broken and other reporting equipments seized by Zervani security force while reporting an issue in one of Erbil neighborhoods. Head of KNN channel in Erbil Shawqi Kanabi stated that the three journalists were beaten up and intimidated by a Zervani security force belonging and they were detained for three hours. In a separate incident, a Kurdsat channel journalist in Erbil was threatened by text messages. The Kurdsat channel journalist in Erbil Hawker Abdurrahman told Metro center for journalist’s rights and advocacy that after 23rd of June parliament meeting he got death threat messages from unknown person which he demanded investigation. After the Kurdistan Parliament session on 23rd of June, when other political parties except KDP demanded reducing the President executive powers and allowing Parliament to elect the President, tension rose between KDP and other parties. KKN belongs to Gorran Movement and Kurdsat to PUK party. Security Kurdistan to dig more trenches NRT TV (24th of June, 2015) Erbil: Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government KRG announced a continuation of its trench digging operations on the frontlines against Islamic State (IS). Peshmerga and Iraqi security forces have previously disagreed over the subject. Peshmerga had planned to dig trenches on the Jalawla and Saadia frontlines in order to prevent possible infiltration of IS insurgents into areas under the control of Kurdish forces. However, the plan was suspended as the Iraqi central government expressed concerns, claiming that KRG was intending to separate the region from Iraq. Jafar Mustafa, a Peshmerga commander told the media that they would continue digging the trenches, “and we won’t consider Baghdad’s concerns because it is our duty to protect our region”. Kurdish security arrests ‘masterminds’ behind January Kirkuk attacks Rudaw media net work (24th of June, 2015) Erbil: Iraq’s Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC) announced that they arrested the masterminds beyond suicide attacks on January 31 in Kirkuk, when four IS suicide bombers broke into Kirkuk Palace hotel and killed multiple civilians and Peshmerga. “IS masterminds consisting of four have been arrested in Kirkuk in a security and 4 intelligence operation,” according to a KRSC statement.