Failure to pass 2010 budget would backfire on rebuilding projects – economist

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: An Iraqi economist said on Sunday that failure to pass the 2010 federal budget in the next few days would have negative impact on the society as it will cause “all reconstruction projects” to come to a halt. “Getting the budget involved into political bargaining would backfire on the society and accordingly all politicians should rise above all the details of their political orientations and personal interests,” Manaf al-Sa’egh told IraqiNews.com news agency. “The Iraqi politicians should take into consideration the public interests,” he added. The 2010 budget has sparked a wide-scale political hubbub amidst parliamentary circles as some blocs linked its passing to the election conduction law that trims the government’s powers. Some political blocs, namely the Iraqi National Coalition, have linked the budget approval to the downgrading of special salaries by half. AmR (P)/SR 2