Baghdad – WAA – Wissam Al-Mulla
The Parliamentary Finance Committee confirmed, on Tuesday, that employees’ salaries are fully secured, and there is no financial distress, while it indicated that it will soon host Finance Minister Taif Sami regarding maximizing non-oil revenues.
The head of the committee, Atwan Al-Atwani, told the (INA): “There is an exaggeration of the issue of the decline in the price of oil, considering that the budget was prepared at a price of $70 per barrel and oil revenues amounted to 120 trillion,” indicating that “employee salaries represent a small percentage of the budget, and did not constitute a large number.”
He added: “Even if the price of a barrel of oil becomes $60, salaries will not be affected,” noting that “we do not want to reach the stage of dealing with oil, but rather we must increase non-oil revenues.”
He added that “the Finance Committee continues to host ministers, and the Minister of Finance will also be hosted to review the alternatives that can enhance the budget and non-oil revenues,” noting that “there is no financial distress.”
He stressed that “the main goal is to increase non-oil revenues that achieve sustainable development.”