Lack of Political Consensus Hinders Assigning New Integrity Head
16/12/2011 10:30BAGHDAD, Dec.16 (AKnews)- It is due to the lack of consensus among the Iraqi political blocs that the Integrity Board is still run by an acting head.
It was Sept.20 that the House of Representatives passed the Law for the Independent Integrity Board amid strong opposition from Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki's State of Law Coalition (SLC).
The pervious head of the Board, Rahim al-Akili resigned Sept.8, allegedly under pressure from the political parties who accused him of embezzlement. Five days later his resignation was sanctioned by PM who assigned SLC member Izzat Tofiq as acting head of the Board.
Shaker Dashar a member of the Acting Integrity Committee in the House of Representatives told AKnews that it was supposed that the new head of the Board be elected after the Iraqi President Jalal Talabani sanctioned the Board's Law and it was published in a public gazette.
Later the new head for the Board could be elected by a committee set up from members of Acting Committee and the High Judicial Council.
But none of these procedures have taken place "due to lack of political consensus," he said.
The lawmaker noted that the Board is one of the several independent boards for the success of which political consent is "inevitable."
He added so far no steps for assigning the new head have been taken and no one has been named to take over the post.
PM Maliki expressed his frustration with the Board which was originally founded in 2005 to combat the wide spread corruption in Iraq. He said the Board has failed in enforcing its mission due to political pressure and partiality.
By Haidar Ibrahim
