Baghdad pays 59% of Kurdisan’s salaries after a month's delay

Shafaq News / The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) stated, on Monday, regarding the salaries of Kurdish employees, that the Federal Ministry of Finance is prepared to pay only 59% of the salaries after a month of delay.

KRG’s spokesperson Peshawa Horamani stated that "the issue of salaries in the Region began when a major political party that forms KRG followed an opposing party which were guiding the enemies of the Region to create pressure on Kurdistan and reduce the salaries of employees."

Horamani added, "The Federal Ministry of Finance is prepared to pay only 59% of Kurdistan’s salaries after a month of delay, and this does not include the salaries of Peshmerga, martyrs, and a large portion of the employees, in order to create strife, discrimination, and humiliation of Kurdistan employees."

He pointed out that "KRG, especially Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, is working to solve the problem of salaries for all employees in the Kurdistan Region. If the federal Finance Ministry is sincere, they should distribute the salaries because we do not accept humiliation and discrimination among our employees."

Horamani concluded, "We defend the rights of all the people of the Kurdistan Region and reject the violation of our constitutional rights, and the policy of starvation in any form."

KRG's Council of Ministers had called on the Federal Ministry of Finance in Baghdad to send the dues of salary recipients to the Ministry of Finance and Economy in the Region in full and without discrimination.

On Wednesday, 21/2/2024, the Federal Supreme Court, the highest judicial authority in Iraq, decided to obligate both Prime Ministers Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani and Masrour Barzani to localize the salaries of employees and workers in the public sector at federal banks.

Salaries are among the main outstanding issues between the Iraqi and the Kurdish governments, along with the oil export and disputed areas.

The Court's new decision has sparked anger and criticism among Kurdish politicians, with some claiming that the decision is unconstitutional and politically motivated and that it undermines the autonomy and finances of the Kurdistan Region.

However, some observers and experts argue that the decisions are correct and consistent with the law and the constitution and that they will ensure the rights of everyone and end the suffering of the Region's employees.