Parliamentary Finance Committee member Youssef Al-Kilabi said on Wednesday that the government has begun implementing measures to address the country’s ongoing financial crisis, while confirming that Prime Minister Ali Falih Al-Zaydi rejected a proposal to pay public-sector salaries every 45 days.
Al-Kilabi said during a press conference that the government is dealing with a difficult economic legacy marked by heavy debt and financial pressures, noting that securing salaries has become challenging amid declining oil revenues.
He stressed the need to treat the current economic situation as an exceptional crisis, while ensuring that measures adopted to contain it do not place additional burdens on citizens.
Al-Kilabi also called for stronger action against traders who exploit economic difficulties to increase prices and make illegal profits, urging authorities to hold those responsible accountable.
He said the government has introduced several measures to tackle the crisis, including injecting $100 million into the market, while warning against attempts to exploit the situation through media outlets for political gains.
He further called for identifying those seeking to manipulate citizens’ interests and tightening measures against corruption and bribery, stressing that efforts to resolve the crisis must not lead to the creation of new problems.
