Peregraf
The differences between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) concerning the My Account project (Hazhmari Mn) are becoming more evident. Following the shutdown of Hazhmari Mn form filling offices in the PUK-controlled region, the KDP has taken action against the administrative units managed by the PUK, involving the Kurdistan Region's prosecutor general in Erbil in the process.
The Kurdistan Region’s Chief Prosecutor, Kawa Fathi, has issued a "secret and urgent" order to prosecutor offices in Sulaymaniyah, Raparin, Halabja, and Garmian, directing them to take legal action against anyone obstructing the operations of the "My Account" project teams. The directive came in response to a request from Omid Sabah, Chief of Staff of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Council, who called upon the Prosecutor General, alongside the Ministries of Interior and Finance, to prevent interference with the project’s operations in Sulaymaniyah and Halabja.
In his letter, Sabah stressed that the Ministry of Finance and Economy is the sole authority within the KRG responsible for determining salary distribution methods. He called for legal and administrative action against bank officials who hinder the work of "My Account" teams.
The "My Account" project, an electronic salary distribution initiative launched by KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, is designed to simplify salary payments for more than 600,000 government employees. However, the project has encountered resistance in PUK-controlled areas, with some employees requesting that their salaries be transferred through Iraq’s federal banking system (Tawteen) instead. The PUK has opposed the "My Account" initiative as part of its political stance, with PUK leader Bafel Talabani urging employees not to participate.
The Federal Supreme Court previously ruled that KRG salaries must be deposited in Iraq’s federal banks—Rashid, Rafidain, or the Trade Bank of Iraq (TBI)—outside the Kurdistan Region. Despite a three-month deadline from the Court for implementing this decision, the KRG has requested Baghdad’s formal recognition of the "My Account" project for salary banking, leading to delays in compliance.
Initially, the Iraqi Ministry of Finance declined to endorse the "My Account" project. However, following advocacy by Masrour Barzani and KRG delegations, the project has continued with the goal of transitioning all employees to electronic payments by the year’s end. Recently, there have been reports of delays in Sulaymaniyah and Halabja, raising concerns about administrative obstacles and the clarity of the salary distribution process.