Cabinet likely to be announced Thursday

Cabinet likely to be announced Thursday
December 7th 2010

Erbil, Dec.7 (AKnews)- The new cabinet will be announced Thursday and the National Coalition (NC) will take the “lion’s share” from the ministries, a deputy from the NC said Monday.
The prime minister designate, Nouri al-Maliki was assigned Nov.25 to pick up his new cabinet in one month.

Izzat Shabandar told AKnews in the new cabinet his bloc will assume 20 ministries, including oil, planning, transportation, sports and youth.
He added the parties have agreed on the allocation of these ministries to the NC. However, electricity, education, and interior ministries as well as the ministry for higher education and scientific research are among the demands of the bloc.
He noted if they are not allotted the interior ministry, they will claim the defense ministry.
The speculations are that the interior and defense ministry will be taken over by neutral figures.

For his part, Sheikh faith Daraghayi from the Kurdistan Blocs Coalition (KBC) said so far only three ministries have been decided; foreign ministry for the KBC, oil for the NC and finance for al-Iraqiya.
Al-Iraqiya was the elections front runner but the integration of mainly Shia blocs introduced the NC as the largest parliamentary bloc. The KBC comes in the third rank.
There is no agreement as to who will take the biggest share, Daraghayi added, noting it is likely for the NC to obtain 18 ministries.

The Kurdish deputy also mentioned even the three assigned ministries may be replaced.
http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/4/200532/