IMN issues a statement regarding the recent debates

INA - BAGHDAD

Iraqi Media Network – IMN issued an official statement regarding the recent debates.

The statement included:

In terms of what has been rumoured in the public space of controversy over the Iraqi Media Network and its distinguished Board of Trustees, IMN would like to explain to public opinion, the media and political elites few important facts.

First: - The Network is committed to the Law No. 26 of 2015, which stated in Article 8 II:

(The Board of Trustees announces the vacant posts in its membership and is entitled to all Iraqis who meet the stipulated conditions and then the Council shall list the names of all applicants to the Iraqi Cabinet, which in turn select the best among them and present the required number to the House of Representatives to vote for them.)

The network has submitted a list of applicants to the Cabinet according to the fundamental contexts.

Second: The Network respects the decision of the judicial authorities that issued a ruling to cancel the Executive Order in which it dismissed the members of the Board who have completed the legal terms and candidacy is to be opened to the citizens who meet the conditions. However, IMN was not a part of the dispute between the members of the Board. And, the Prime Minister has the right to issue executive orders to select or exempt the Board.

Third: - Based on the controls and standards, issued by the executive authority (Prime Minister) and legislative (House of Representatives) IMN is obliged to implement those controls because it contains a financial and administrative side.

Fourth: - The Prime Minister issued a new order to the network not to direct the members of the Board and the presidency to keep as the same temporarily until the selection of new members that can choose the permanent president of the network.

From the foregoing, Iraqi Media Network confirms its full commitment to the orders issued by the legislative, executive and judicial branches, and that it carries out its media duties in the fullest manner, based on its professional independence and openness to all parties without prejudice to one party at the expense of the other.

We also reaffirm that in our official (temporary) capacity, we will not allow any interference in the work of the Fourth Authority. We also reaffirm our full commitment to the new Board of Trustees.

We will hand over all the keys of the success achieved within one year of the presidency of the network included in launching the Iraqi News Agency in four languages and launching Kurdish and Turkmen TV channels, and the transformation of the broadcasting system to HD, in addition to the launch of social networking platforms and documenting the most important Iraqi Music channel on YouTube, which deals with the Iraqi heritage of art and music and to move the speech of the network from randomness, abandonment and loss to artistic identity, professional speech. Also, three Iraqi dramas were launched as the first season of the Iraqi drama support initiative we launched a year ago, and the establishment of the Pioneers Park and the Iraqi Media Museum. All that was free or almost free because the network is heavily indebted, which has reached more than 40 Billion dinars and inherited from previous administrations, which wasted millions of sessions without the existence of solid plans to improve the network.

Mujahid Abu al-Hail

Head of Iraqi Media Network - IMN