LOC14:14
11:14 GMT
BAGHDAD, Sept 14 (KUNA) -- The Iraqi parliament on Thursday voted in favor of dismissing Kirkuk Governor Nejmeddine Karim, upon a request by Prime Minister Haidar Al-Abadi, according to a source of the parliamentary press office.
The source told KUNA that the assembly voted with a majority for sacking the governor. The balloting proceeded despite boycott by Kurdish legislators.
Al-Abadi has requested the voting on basis of laws that empower him to take such a move against governors for negligence, duty slacking, lack of integrity or mishandling of public funds.
His dismissal coincided with preparations in the Kurdish regions for holding public referendum on independence from the Baghdad leadership, due on September 25.
The governorate of Kirkuk is not legally bonded with Iraq's Kurdistan, however its local administration is made up mostly of Kurdish parties which have taken many decisions in interest of the Kurdish region. Moreover, its leaders have agreed to include the province in the forthcoming referendum.
The dismissed governor is a member of the National Union of Kurdistan of the former president, Jalal Al-Talbani. (end)
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