Bahrain Mirror (2023 Portfolios): The Bahraini Parliament concluded a whole legislative season and entered into another, but all these chapters were barren with no fruits or benefits for the nation and its people.

Key moments affirmed that the Parliament merely functioned as a workshop for the king's decrees and for legitimizing the government's projects, with some intervals for venting and others for antics.

The Parliament began 2023 by approving a royal decree for the state's general budget, where the military and security absorbed two-thirds of its operational expenses, while project budgets were devoid of projects, with each new project being financed by Kuwaiti, Emirati, or Saudi spending.

The budget figures did not halt the Parliament or compel it to discuss the inflation in military expenditures for a country living under the protection of American and British bases, amidst a severe deterioration in healthcare and educational services for citizens.

Despite the rise in oil prices, the MPs failed to push through any projects or improvements in citizens' livelihoods, acknowledging a nonexistent deficit in the budget.

The Parliament also passed a government report without discussion, in which the government stated that the half-year budget deficit for 2023 had increased due to falling oil prices, a piece of news only found within government circles, as all international reports indicated an increase in crude oil prices.

In September 2023, the Parliament approved a royal decree raising the public debt ceiling to 16 billion Bahraini dinars, while the public debt interest for the fiscal years 2023-2024 amounted to about one and a half billion dinars.

The Parliament did not discuss the repercussions of such a decision on the finances of a country drowning in debt, or why the debt ceiling is being raised at a time when oil prices are covering at least the government's declared expenses.

If the Parliament lacks the courage to discuss the government's declared expenses, how can it question the ruling family about secret military spending and covering the expenses of the king, his sons, and other members of the ruling family?

The performance of the Parliament was not any better in certain political moments, as the government once again used it to cleanse its reputation regarding normalization with the Israeli occupation, which is committing the worst crimes in the war on Gaza.

After the angry popular protests that swept Bahrain against the occupation's crimes and the government's failure to take a stance supporting the Bahraini people, the government instructed the Parliament to issue a statement indicating the return of Bahrain's ambassador from Israel and the return of the Israeli ambassador to his country, and the severance of relations.

However, the Israeli side quickly denied any tension in relations between the two countries and pointed out in several statements and declarations that the ambassadors continued to carry out their duties on both sides.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry stated that the statement of the departure of the Israeli ambassador from Manama and the return of the Bahraini ambassador from Tel Aviv likely indicates that this step aims to "pacify Bahraini public opinion."

No comment was issued by the Parliament, which seemed to have received the statement ready from the Bahraini Foreign Ministry, which wanted everything to proceed smoothly if it weren't for the Israeli side considering it goes against norms.

Even the Israelis have regard for norms, while Bahrain and its Parliament follow no values ​​to preserve the dignity of their people, neither concerning their local concerns nor their foreign issues.

Arabic Version