Shafaq News / Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani welcomed Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani today, May 8, 2023, marking the first such meeting after months of political disputes that led the ministerial cadre affiliated with Talabani's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) to suspend their attendance at the regional council of ministers' sessions.
A statement from Barzani's office noted that the meeting took place in a "positive atmosphere," with discussions centering around the financial and administrative challenges facing the KRG. An agreement was reached to resolve all issues through dialogue and cooperation among all ministerial blocs within the government.
The meeting also highlighted the latest developments in the political situation within the region and the wider area, emphasizing the importance of protecting internal solidarity, unity, and collaboration in order to safeguard national interests and the constitutional rights of Kurdistan's citizens.
The PUK accuses KRG Prime Minister Barzani of monopolizing control over security and oil matters, concentrating all powers in his hands, and depriving the Sulaymaniyah province (the PUK's center of gravity) of service projects and financial budgets.
Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, brother of Bafel Talabani, who is leading the political confrontation with the ruling party in the region, has boycotted the regional council of ministers' meetings for months. The PUK's ministerial team, consisting of five out of the 18 ministers in the KRG, has also decided not to participate in official government meetings and ceremonies.
In response, the KRG Prime Minister denies these accusations and instead accuses the PUK, which governs Sulaymaniyah, of not handing over revenues from border crossings and internal revenues to the regional finance ministry, which is responsible for distributing expenditures among the provinces.
Disputes reached their peak following the assassination of security officer Hawkar Jaff in Erbil last October. The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) presented evidence and accused PUK security leaders of involvement in the case, though the PUK has denied any connection.
Days ago, the office of KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani released a statement, arguing that "if Qubad Talabani and his ministerial team feel responsible for the people of Sulaymaniyah, they should stop misleading the public and return to participating in meetings." The statement added that "the lack of transparency in the revenue collection process in Sulaymaniyah is at the heart of the financial problem, in addition to not allowing for centralized control over the process."
