Peregraf
The Iraqi Federal Supreme Court on Monday rejected three separate complaints related to the Kurdistan Region, ruling that none of the cases fell within the court’s constitutional jurisdiction.
Among the dismissed cases was a high-profile complaint targeting the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) flagship "Runaki" (Lighting) project, which aims to provide 24-hour electricity to all households and businesses in the region by the end of 2026.
The complaint was filed by Srwa Abdulwahid, head of the New Generation Movement (NGM) faction in the Iraqi parliament, who called for the cancellation of the KRG Council of Ministers’ decision to implement the project, citing concerns over its legality and financial burden on citizens. The court initially reviewed the case on July 20 before adjourning it to today's session, where it was ultimately dismissed.
Launched in October 2024 by Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, the Runaki project has been promoted as a transformative national initiative led by the KRG’s Ministry of Electricity. Currently, it serves over 2 million citizens and more than 500,000 subscribers—approximately 30% of the Kurdistan Region’s population.
While the KRG argues that the project will eliminate reliance on private diesel generators—long blamed for pollution and public health risks—it has faced criticism over its pricing structure and long-term affordability for residents. According to the Ministry of Electricity, more than 7,000 private generators will be decommissioned as the project expands.
Court Rejects Salary-Related Complaints as Well
The other two complaints were submitted by KRG public sector employees demanding that the federal government, specifically Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and Finance Minister Taif Sami, ensure consistent payment of their salaries. These cases, first heard on July 14 and adjourned to July 28, were also thrown out by the court.
The verdict comes shortly after the Iraqi Ministry of Finance released public sector salaries for May 2025 to the Kurdistan Region, following a recent agreement on oil exports and revenue sharing between Erbil and Baghdad.