Iraq’s State Administration Coalition Discusses KRG Salary Payments Amid Ongoing Disputes

Peregraf

Iraq’s ruling State Administration Coalition held a regular meeting in Baghdad on Sunday, attended by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani. The meeting focused on critical issues, including the ongoing disputes over salary payments for Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) civil servants.

A statement from Prime Minister al-Sudani’s office emphasized that there is no political stance on the issue of salaries, with the focus instead on technical matters that can be resolved through dialogue and understanding. The coalition urged both sides to avoid media escalation as they work to find a resolution.

The meeting, held at the Government Palace, was attended by key figures, including Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Bafel Talabani, and other coalition members. They discussed the government’s performance and set priorities for the final year of the current parliamentary and governmental term.

“This year marks the final year of the current parliamentary and governmental term, requiring all political forces to fulfill their commitments outlined in the government program, ensuring stability and progress across economic, developmental, and security sectors,” the statement added.

The coalition comprises political parties that have supported the current Iraqi cabinet, including the ruling parties of the Kurdistan Region.

President Barzani also stressed the Kurdistan Region’s legal and constitutional rights and praised Prime Minister al-Sudani’s role in facilitating dialogue between Erbil and Baghdad over the past year. The two leaders are scheduled to meet again on Monday.

This meeting comes amid the unresolved dispute between Erbil and Baghdad regarding the Kurdish region’s share in the federal budget. The KRG has alleged that Baghdad has failed to disburse the salaries of KRG civil servants for December. This claim persists in light of the Iraqi Minister of Finance's declaration on January 12, 2025, indicating that the salaries of public employees in the Kurdistan Region have been completely financed for every month of 2024. Nevertheless, the KRG has not yet disbursed these salaries in full and has neglected its legal responsibility to remit non-oil revenues to the Iraqi federal government.

The Ministry of Finance reiterated its commitment to sending monthly financial allocations to the KRG, which is responsible for distributing salaries to its employees. The ministry also pointed out that the delays in salary payments are due to the KRG’s failure to comply with the Federal Supreme Court’s ruling, which mandates the domiciliation of public sector salaries and pension payments in the Kurdistan Region in line with the Tawteen program of the Iraqi Federal Government.

Furthermore, the Ministry noted that the KRG has not complied with the requirement to transfer non-oil revenues, as stipulated by the Federal Supreme Court. Audit records show that these revenues amount to 4,350 billion dinars, which should have been handed over to the federal government.