The budget bill was approved during a session boycotted by the Kurdish factions.
The controversial budget bill was approved during a session boycotted by the Kurdish factions who said most of their demands were not met, NRT reported.
The 2018 state budget approved by lawmakers amounted to 104 trillion Iraqi dinar ($88 billion), Reuters reported citing two Kurdish lawmakers.
“We boycotted the vote and there are proposals for Kurdistan to withdraw from the entire political process in Iraq over the unfair treatment we have received,” Kurdish lawmaker Ashwaq Jaff told Reuters.
Kurdish authorities have challenged the bill on a number of points. Kurds are concerned over the draft bill, saying there is an imbalance in the distribution of the budget over all of the Iraqi provinces.
Of specific concern is that Kurdistan Region’s share in the proposal has been cut to 12.67 percent.
Kurdish lawmakers call for the Kurdistan Region’s percent of the federal budget to remain at 17% as previously set based on populations estimates in 2005.
Relations between the Kurdistan Region and Iraq hit their lowest in the aftermath of the referendum held by the Kurdistan Region, which saw 92.7 percent of voters say “yes” to independence.
Following the referendum, the government of Iraq took economic and security measures by banning international flights to and from the Kurdistan Region and by retaking the disputed areas from the Kurdish forces.
Baghdad's recapture of oil fields in disputed territory outside the autonomous region from Kurdish forces added to the already heavy burden on Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) shoulder.
Reporter's code: 50101