Home
Ousted electricity minister still in charge
08/08/2011 16:17
Baghdad, August 8 (AKnews) - Raad Shallal is still exercising his duties as minister of electricity and he will stay in his office until he is summoned to parliament, the Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs Hussein al-Shahristani stated Monday.
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki decided late on Sunday night to dismiss the Electricity Minister Raad Shallal from his position and to refer his case to parliament for confirmation of the decision.
Shahristani said at a news conference held at the parliament that the contract with the two German and Canadian companies was based on the credit payment system, and after the Oil and Energy committee checked these contracts, they turned out to be fake.
"The German company previously declared bankruptcy and the company is just on paper and run by a Canadian lawyer.
"No political pressure was put on the Minister of Electricity and the investigation is now done with the financial, administrative and technical committee in the ministry."
State of Law Coalition (SLC) deputy Hanan al-Fatlawi told AKnews on Saturday that the Ministry of Electricity signed contracts - worth a total of $1.7 billion - with two fake companies to build power plants in Iraq.
The demand for electricity is estimated at about 14,000 megawatts during the summer when demand is at its peak, but Iraq only produces 8000 MW.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
08/08/2011 16:17
Baghdad, August 8 (AKnews) - Raad Shallal is still exercising his duties as minister of electricity and he will stay in his office until he is summoned to parliament, the Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs Hussein al-Shahristani stated Monday.
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki decided late on Sunday night to dismiss the Electricity Minister Raad Shallal from his position and to refer his case to parliament for confirmation of the decision.
Shahristani said at a news conference held at the parliament that the contract with the two German and Canadian companies was based on the credit payment system, and after the Oil and Energy committee checked these contracts, they turned out to be fake.
"The German company previously declared bankruptcy and the company is just on paper and run by a Canadian lawyer.
"No political pressure was put on the Minister of Electricity and the investigation is now done with the financial, administrative and technical committee in the ministry."
State of Law Coalition (SLC) deputy Hanan al-Fatlawi told AKnews on Saturday that the Ministry of Electricity signed contracts - worth a total of $1.7 billion - with two fake companies to build power plants in Iraq.
The demand for electricity is estimated at about 14,000 megawatts during the summer when demand is at its peak, but Iraq only produces 8000 MW.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
