Bakhtyar Ali sharef – Activists
As promised, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) finally fulfilled their pledge to provide 24-hour electricity. However, the nature of this fulfillment has effectively turned citizens into tenants paying excessive fees to these parties. Immediately following the elections—more precisely, once they no longer needed their constituents’ and voters’ support—the KDP and PUK reverted to their fundamental approach: exploitation and depletion of citizens’ financial resources.
For several months now, they have been implementing their so-called “Illumination Project.” This initiative fundamentally belongs to Masrour Barzani, though I mention the PUK because they are complicit partners. Indeed, without PUK’s approval, Masrour Barzani, the nominal Prime Minister, could not implement the Illumination Project in Sulaymaniyah, nor could he even replace a school principal there!
Consider the timing of their implementation of these exorbitant electricity rates. As you know, it is spring, when citizens consume minimal electricity and have reduced power needs. Moreover, the electricity bills they have publicized in Sulaymaniyah largely reflect previous usage patterns. These “engineers of public impoverishment” conveniently fail to show us the bills from disadvantaged neighborhoods in Erbil, where charges of 400,000 to 500,000 dinars have been imposed. Certainly, if they implement the published rates as intended—which they assuredly will—citizens must prepare to allocate between 200,000 and 300,000 dinars monthly to Mr. Masrour and Mr. Qubad’s coffers. In simple terms, people will become tenants of the government, working primarily to pay these officials.
With the Iraqi parliamentary elections approaching in five months, these same officials will reappear on television screens with grandiose campaign rhetoric and extravagant promises. At that time, remember these taxes, fees, and electricity price increases! Hold them accountable, as we can be absolutely certain that if these same individuals are re-elected to Baghdad, we should expect even more financial burdens—metaphorically speaking, we may face additional exploitation with each departure from our homes. By then, no recourse will remain available to us. Therefore, be conscientious about whom you vote for and whom you select as your representatives.
