Baghdad: Legal Expert and consultant Salem Hawas affirmed that the protests in Baghdad and several other governorates, in which shop owners and merchants participated with the support of the Baghdad Chamber of Commerce, were a reaction to the current government’s hasty financial and customs policies. These policies have contributed to market instability and a rise in the prices of basic commodities, directly impacting citizens’ purchasing power.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, in a statement today, Hawas explained that expanding customs tariffs, taxes, and levies without considering the economic and living conditions cannot be described as reform. Rather, it constitutes an additional burden on the most vulnerable segments of society, as these costs inevitably pass on to the end consumer, leading to a widening circle of poverty, a slowdown in commercial activity, and a threat to social stability.

Legal Expert Hawas added that the government of Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and the Minister of Finance are required to review these decisions immediately, especially given the caretaker status and the expiration of their term, as this raises constitutional and legal issues regarding the legitimacy of the decisions. He called for a serious dialogue with representatives of the commercial sector and the Baghdad Chamber of Commerce, warning that continuing with these policies will deepen the gap between the state and society and contradict the principles of social justice guaranteed by the constitution.