Briar Rashid, a representative of Sulaymaniyah Governorate, confirmed that the regional government, represented by the Kurdistan Democratic Party, refused to open branches of Al-Rafidain and Al-Rasheed Banks in Sulaymaniyah Governorate, despite the fact that this is one of the people’s demands in the region.
“Al-Rafidain Bank has agreed to open a branch in Sulaymaniyah Governorate after reviews of the aforementioned bank since the beginning of the fifth parliamentary session, where it obtained approval from the Ministry of Finance and no objection from the bank’s Director General to open a branch in the governorate, provided that This will be done through coordination between the governments of Baghdad and Erbil, as well as with the Ministries,” Rashid told Al-Maalouma.
He stated, “The regional government did not grant any approval to open branches of the Rafidain and Al-Rashid banks in Sulaymaniyah without mentioning the reasons for the rejection,” stating that “there is a political aspect in the regional government that pushes it to refuse to open branches of the two banks, especially since the banks in Kurdistan are affiliated with the ruling parties, especially the party.” “And therefore it is one of the reasons that prevent the opening of government bank branches in Kurdistan.”
“The Central Bank announced its approval to open an office in Sulaymaniyah, while there is continuing pressure in Sulaymaniyah on Erbil to approve the opening of branches of the Rafidain and Al-Rashid banks in Sulaymaniyah,” he said.
