$4 billion unaccounted for in this year’s Iraqi budget
Azzaman, June 25, 2009
Massive amounts of money go unaccounted for in Iraq and this year’s fraud could hit more than $4 billion dollars, Iraqi government officials say.
The officials, refusing to be named, said that would reduce this year’s budget to $54.6 billion from $58.6.
One official said evidence was there but people lacked the courage to take the case to courts.
“In a country where one could get killed for nothing, it is almost impossible to report on corruption without grave consequences.
“The ministries have been divided on sectarian and factional lines and accusing a minister or an official is taken to mean charging the party or the faction they belong to,” the official added.
A U.N. report issued in 2008 found Iraq one of the most corrupted countries in the world.
The officials agreed that corruption was the main factor hindering post-war reconstruction and the provision of decent public services to the Iraqis including power, water and health amenities.
Adel Hamza, public relations officer in a private firm, said he could do almost nothing in Iraq without “bribing my way through.”
“As I move through any government department, I must feed the open mouths one by one as if I am feeding chicken in a farm,” he said.
Government officials routinely deny such allegations.
However, Iraqis say every government department has set a special price for the execution of what should be free-of-charge services such as issuing of passports and other documents.
The budgetary allocations that get lost and unaccounted for are mainly connected with the issuing of contracts.
“I must pay money to the first man I meet in any department, starting from the porter to the director-general,” said Hayder Abdulmuhsen.
Government officials and civil servants now get decent salaries and many see no reason for them to get bribed in order to work.
http://www.azzaman.com/english/index...06-25\kurd.htm
Azzaman, June 25, 2009
Massive amounts of money go unaccounted for in Iraq and this year’s fraud could hit more than $4 billion dollars, Iraqi government officials say.
The officials, refusing to be named, said that would reduce this year’s budget to $54.6 billion from $58.6.
One official said evidence was there but people lacked the courage to take the case to courts.
“In a country where one could get killed for nothing, it is almost impossible to report on corruption without grave consequences.
“The ministries have been divided on sectarian and factional lines and accusing a minister or an official is taken to mean charging the party or the faction they belong to,” the official added.
A U.N. report issued in 2008 found Iraq one of the most corrupted countries in the world.
The officials agreed that corruption was the main factor hindering post-war reconstruction and the provision of decent public services to the Iraqis including power, water and health amenities.
Adel Hamza, public relations officer in a private firm, said he could do almost nothing in Iraq without “bribing my way through.”
“As I move through any government department, I must feed the open mouths one by one as if I am feeding chicken in a farm,” he said.
Government officials routinely deny such allegations.
However, Iraqis say every government department has set a special price for the execution of what should be free-of-charge services such as issuing of passports and other documents.
The budgetary allocations that get lost and unaccounted for are mainly connected with the issuing of contracts.
“I must pay money to the first man I meet in any department, starting from the porter to the director-general,” said Hayder Abdulmuhsen.
Government officials and civil servants now get decent salaries and many see no reason for them to get bribed in order to work.
http://www.azzaman.com/english/index...06-25\kurd.htm