Summary of committees' recent meetings – 26 September 2019
Summary of Kurdistan Parliament committees’ recent meetings and activities:
Culture, Civil Society, Sports and Youth Committee
22 September - The committee held their regular meeting, led by the chair Mr. Luqman Wardi (PUK) and met civil society groups from Koya and Garmian. They discussed drug addiction and the dangers of dealing and using drugs. The civil society groups submitted a note to the committee asking the Kurdistan Parliament to amend Law no. 50 of 2017, the anti-narcotics law for Iraq and Kurdistan Region. The groups also asked the committee to form a board to campaign against drugs, control borders, establish therapy centres for addicts, and run awareness campaigns in schools on the dangers of narcotics.
The chair of the committee commended the role of civil society organizations in raising public awareness of the dangers of drugs and promised them to be supportive in delivering their message to the relevant authorities.
25 September - The Committee’s chair, vice chair, rapporteur and members met a delegation from Iraq’s Council of Representatives’ (ICOR) Sports and Youth Committee. Committee chair Mr. Luqman Wardi (PUK) asked the Iraqi committee to consider the special status of Kurdistan Region in the bill on Iraq’s Olympic Committee. He also asked the ICOR committee to include in the bill Kurdistan governorates’ sports rights.
The ICOR Sports and Youth Committee members thanked Kurdistan Region for supporting Iraqi sports teams by opening Kurdistan’s stadiums for their use since 2003. The two committees recommended holding a joint conference in the future to resolve problems between the Kurdistan Olympic Committee and the Iraqi Olympic Committee.
Health, Environment and Consumer Rights
23 September - The Committee’s chair, vice chair, rapporteur and members held their regular meeting to discuss particular environmental problems. They also discussed the findings of their visits to Slemani and Duhok governorates. The meeting focused on the problem of disposal of medical items and medical waste. The meeting also discussed the notes, requests and reports submitted to the committee, and all of them were given detailed replies.
Integrity, Parliament Affairs and Complaints Committee
22 September - The committee’s deputy chair and members of the committee visited the international border of Haji Omran in Erbil governorate, and met with the director of the border, Mr. Masoud Batli. Mr. Batli explained the problems at the border and said that all customs, traveler and tourist administration for the border is done electronically. The committee promised to follow up on the problems and requests of the border officials.