KurdistanObserver.com

President Talabani Goes Public On Spending

Erbil, Kurdistan-Iraq 23 Dec. (AKI) - Iraq's president Jalal Talabani has taken the unprecedented step of ordering his cabinet chief to make public the office accounts, the expenses, the balance sheet as well as the institutions and people to whom any payments have been directed.

At a press conference Talabani said: "We want to show to the Iraqi people how monies have been spent by the president of the Republic and to whom these funds have gone."

"We ask all the senior state managers to conform to this measure, making public the balance sheets of the funds they administer so that Iraqis know what and whom this money is spent on" he added.

Talabani has also called for boosting controls on public spending at all levels, from the president's office to the smallest government office.