The Iraqi parliament's Integrity Committee, led by Chairman Ziad Janabi, has announced that three ministers will be summoned to parliament this week to address serious allegations of financial and administrative corruption within their ministries. Among those to be questioned are the Ministers of Oil and Interior.

In a press conference held alongside other committee members, Janabi stated that the committee had previously requested information from the ministries regarding contracts associated with the Interior Ministry, both under the current and previous ministers. However, no response has been received, prompting the decision to summon the ministers for questioning.

“The committee will not exempt any ministers from accountability,” Janabi declared. “Our responsibility is to monitor the work of all ministries.”

The Integrity Committee is charged with protecting public assets and combating corruption at all levels, including within senior positions in various ministries. Janabi emphasized that the committee had uncovered significant corruption within the Oil Ministry, as well as within the Ministry of Agriculture, with numerous illegal activities identified among directors general across several provinces.

The issue of corruption in Iraq remains a major concern, with the Corruption Perceptions Index from 2013 to 2023 consistently highlighting the severity of the problem. In 2023, Iraq ranked 154th out of 180 countries on the index, marking it as one of the most corrupt nations in the world.

The upcoming parliamentary sessions are expected to shed light on these allegations and set the stage for potential legal and administrative actions against those involved.