ERBIL, Iraq
Opposition Kurdish parties on Tuesday called for dissolving the presidency of the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG).
The call comes amid tension between the KRG and the central government in Baghdad over last month’s illegitimate referendum for regional Kurdish independence.
In a joint declaration on Tuesday, the opposition parties said the responsibilities of KRG presidency should be distributed to government bodies.
The KRG parliament will function as an executive and legislative body with no political influence while its political status will remain preserved, the parties said.
The opposition parties also called for holding fair elections under the supervision of international observers.
They also called on the Iraqi central government to normalize ties with the Kurdish region with a view to helping residents who fled their homes to return.
The declaration was signed by the Coalition for Democracy and Justice, which is made up of the Kurdish Movement for Change (Gorran) party, the Kurdistan Islamic Society Party (Komel) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).
Earlier Tuesday, the KRG decided to postpone presidential and parliamentary polls -- originally slated for Nov. 1 -- by eight months to July of next year.
On Sunday, the Kurdish Movement for Change party called on KRG President Masoud Barzani and Vice President Kosrat Rasul to resign.
The illegitimate referendum faced sharp opposition from most regional and international actors, including the U.S., and Iran, who warned that the poll would distract from Iraq’s fight against terrorism and destabilize the already-volatile region.
Last week, Iraqi government troops moved into several parts of the country previously held by Peshmerga forces loyal to the KRG, including the oil-rich Kirkuk province.
Reporting by Idris Okuducu; Writing by Sibel Ugurlu
