Shafaq News/ On Monday, Samir Hawrami, spokesperson for the Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region (KRI), announced that the Iraqi government sent 1.181 trillion dinars ($889,223,840) for the July and August salaries of regional employees.
Hawrami stated that 998 billion dinars ($748,667,840) of this amount have been disbursed for July’s salaries, with 183 billion dinars ($137,333,920) remaining. “We are awaiting the Iraqi government to transfer the remaining amount to cover the salaries.”
“During the meeting between the KRI and Baghdad delegations, Iraqi Finance Minister Taif Sami requested the submission of August and September salary lists to ensure that funds for regional employees' salaries are transferred according to the agreed-upon mechanism following the Federal Ministers Council’s approval.”
He further noted, “The Iraqi government raised three key issues during the meeting: salary lists, the biometric system, and the salaries of employees in disputed areas. It emphasized the need to resolve these matters by the end of 2024 and for Baghdad to maintain the timely disbursement of salaries.”
On Sunday, Iraqi Finance Minister Taif Sami stated that a joint meeting between the Federal Government's Economic Ministerial Council and the Kurdistan Region's Economic Council focused on resolving shared financial issues between the two sides.
The Ministry statement stressed that Key financial issues, including the salaries of regional employees, the Kurdistan Region's budget, border crossings, and coordination of customs and tax policies, are "central to stabilizing Iraq's economy."
In this context, Minister Sami described the negotiations as a "historic opportunity" to achieve financial reconciliation between Baghdad and Erbil, stressing the importance of reaching sustainable solutions to their financial disagreements.
The meeting, hosted in the Kurdistan capital, was attended by KRG Prime Minister, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Fuad Hussein, KRG Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, and other senior officials.