Baghdad - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Sunday defended a court decision that placed institutions such as the central bank under ministerial control, saying reversing the ruling was “impossible”.
“The court studied the case very well before issuing its ruling,” Maliki said in an interview on state television.
A January 18 court ruling put several key independent bodies such as the central bank and election commission under cabinet supervision, arguing they should be answerable to the cabinet instead of parliament because their work was executive in nature.
“As long as I am responsible for the executive branch I should be aware of the work of these bodies,” Maliki said.
The ruling, especially regarding the central bank, sparked widespread criticism that it threatened Iraq's savings and undermined the credibility of all independent bodies.
Among the other agencies affected are the anti-corruption watchdog and the human rights commission. The ruling followed a request for clarity on the relevant constitutional clause by Maliki's office on December 2.
Several of the agencies affected have themselves criticised the supreme court ruling, saying it harmed their non-partisan reputation, while opponents of the decision have called it a move by Maliki to consolidate power.
Maliki, who formed his cabinet last December after political bickering that left Iraq without a government for more than nine months, also said there was still was no agreement on the four key defence, intelligence, security and interior ministry portfolios, which remain vacant.
“If this continues, I will choose the names myself and go to the parliament” whose vote is required for a ministerial appointment, Maliki said, adding that candidates must be both non-partisan and qualified.
Maliki said the court ruling was “impossible to reverse” because that would place a question mark over all other supreme court rulings. He said if the country began undoing all such rulings, the country would drift into “chaos”.
Among the most prominent critics of the move was central bank governor Sinan al-Shebibi, who warned on Tuesday that the ruling threatened Baghdad's assets overseas.
With the central bank tied to the cabinet and its independence in doubt, according to Shebibi, its accounts would be seen as an extension of the Iraqi government, and would be exposed to claims by Iraq's creditors. - Sapa-AFP