Does Iraq actually have the requirements of a market economy?
Baban: Iraq needs strong economic institutions and free markets require an active private sector. We still lack many of the requirements. Niqash: In a market economy, how can we protect local industries, especially with the huge influx of foreign goods? Baban: We need to be capable of protecting our local industries and products. And here I do not mean by protection the old traditional methods. Opening the Iraqi market to foreign products without any rules or control does not lead to an open market or free market, it only leads to chaos and this chaos has made Iraq an excellent market for cheap and bad quality products that do not meet standards [due to a lack of] supervision. This situation should not continue and Iraq s agriculture and industry sectors should not enjoy protection but preferentiality. The government possesses many methods and tools to help the country s agriculture and industry sectors without the use of protection. We should not protect our agriculture and industry b
