Council of Ministers on Wednesday held its weekly meeting led by Prime Minister Masrour Barzani.

Opening the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Talabani briefed the Council on the KRG delegation’s participation in the Delphi Economic Forum. He reported that the Greek government had expressed its willingness to increase cooperation with the Kurdistan Region and that a Greek delegation will visit the Kurdistan Region in due course.

The Council praised the delegation visited Baghdad recently, and tasked them with continuing discussions, while stressing the importance of continuing to defend the Kurdistan Region’s constitutional rights within Iraq. The Council added that negotiations with Baghdad will continue until a mutually acceptable agreement is reached concerning the Region’s oil and gas industry. With no final agreement having yet been reached, the Council added that, while they regard the situation as a violation of the Iraqi oil and gas law, contractual obligations to oil companies currently engaged in the Region will be fulfilled regardless.

Thereafter, discussion turned to ongoing reforms to governmental workflows and processes, with a view towards elevating the work of government, reducing bureaucracy and increasing cooperation between different government institutions.

The Council approved a draft bill concerning company registration which aims to streamline and simplify the process in a way which reduces bureaucracy and encourages investment.

The Council also approved a draft bill put forward by the Ministry of Municipalities and Tourism, which aims to improve the Ministry’s work through greater efficiency, making the Ministry more agile to developments and changing circumstances.

Finally, the Council approved a proposal put forward by the Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources on lifting tax and customs on imported animals during Ramadan to alleviate recent price rises on meat in markets.