Presidency of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

President Barzani: Citizens and Human Values Must be the Pillars of the Constitution

2019/11/05
News
Erbil٫ Kurdistan Region٫ 31 October 2019

President Nechirvan Barzani participated in the sixth Conference of the Kurdistan Bar Association in Erbil. In a speech, President acknowledged the important roles played by the members of the Kurdistan Bar Association in drafting legislations٫ advocating for the rights of the victims of genocide and their advocacy for the constitutional rights of the people of the Kurdistan Region.

President Barzani reiterated Kurdistan Region’s commitment to further strengthen the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary system. He recognized the significant role lawyers have in drafting a constitution for the Kurdistan Region. President Barzani stressed that the Kurdistan Region’s constitution should not contain any discrimination based on religious, sectarian, political, ideological, national, racial and social class, rather it should reflect the cultural background and the modern aspirations of Kurdistan’s society.

President Barzani stated that the current Constitution of Iraq is considered as an advanced constitution if compared to the constitutions of most of the countries in the wider region, stating that the main problem is not the constitution, but it is the failure to implement the constitution.

He also reiterated that any amendments to Iraq’s Constitution should be an accurate reflection of Iraq’s different components and it should respect the legitimate rights of all citizens. President Barzani affirmed that Kurdistan Region does not object amendments aimed at improving the lives of the people of Iraq, however any amendment that results in inequality or threatens democracy and federalism of the country are against the interests of the people of Kurdistan and Iraq.

President Barzani reaffirmed the Kurdistan Regions support for any positive reforms in Iraq and called on the federal government to protect the security and stability of the country. He stated that the current issues faced in Iraq are not new and cannot be solved within one year.
The Speaker of the Kurdistan Parliament, Rewaz Faiq, Kurdistan Region ministers, parliamentarians, and legal experts attended the conference as well.