BAGHDAD: The Iraqi government has decided to stop paying a monthly allowance so that parliament members can hire their own security and instead provide each of them with up to 20 policemen for protection, government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said Tuesday.
The measure appears to be a step to control spending. Lawmakers had been receiving 10 million dinars (US$8,000) a month to pay for up to 20 guards. A guard earned an average of 500,000 dinars (US$400) a month.
Some legislators who live in the Green Zone had been hiring fewer guards and pocketing the rest of the allowance.
Al-Dabbagh said there could be exceptions for key legislators who live outside the Green Zone.
Legislators have come under attacks in the past and a number of politicians have been assassinated since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime following the 2003 U.S. invasion.
In April, a bomb exploded in the parliament's cafeteria, killing Sunni legislator Mohammed Awad.
Since then security has become very tight in and around parliament building where everyone including legislators must be searched.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/09/11/africa/ME-GEN-Iraq-Parliament.php
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