Shafaq News/ On Saturday, informed sources within the Kurdistan Region (KRI)'s Ministry of Finance reported that the ministry has yet to send October's payroll lists to Iraq’s Ministry of Finance in Baghdad, which requires them for verification before transferring funds to the Region.

The sources told Shafaq News Agency that the payroll lists will be sent later this week. “The delay comes as Iraq’s Ministry of Finance begins auditing the payroll lists, while employees in the Region await their salaries.”

The auditing and transfer process from Baghdad to the Region is expected to take several days once the lists are received, meaning salary payments for KRI employees may be delayed until early November.

The sources attributed the delay in sending the lists to internal review processes, adding that “the ministry aims to complete October salary payments by early next month.”

Employees in the Region have faced ongoing delays in monthly salaries for years. The crisis is rooted in financial issues, including the global drop in oil prices and the Kurdish financial burden from the fight against ISIS.

Despite the Federal Court's acknowledgment of Baghdad's obligation to pay salaries regularly, problems with salary distribution persist, with some attributing these issues to political rather than financial factors.

The delay has become a chronic issue, impacting residents' daily lives. With many dependent on these salaries for basic needs, frequent delays have led to significant psychological and social problems.

In response to the delays, employees increasingly resort to borrowing to cover basic needs, exacerbating their debt and adding social and economic pressure on themselves and their families.