Kirkuk budget stalled as political deadlock persists

Shafaq News/ Thousands of public sector jobs in Kirkuk are on hold due to a deadlock among political blocs that has crippled the governorate council, deputy governor Ali al-Hamadi said on Monday.

The release of funds for the governorate's 400 billion dinar ($277 million) budget allocation this year also hinges on the council reaching an agreement on electing a governor and forming a local government.

"The budget will fund projects related to health, education, and transportation, according to the plan prepared by the local administration," al-Hamadi told Shafaq News Agency. "These projects need approval by the council before they can be implemented... In order to assign the funds to each project, the council should hold a vote," he said. 

The council has been unable to convene since January's elections due to disagreements over the powerful governor post, which Kurdish and Arab blocs both claim.

"The budget also assigned 7,000 job opportunities on the government payroll to the governorate. But, similarly, the decree should be passed by the council," he said. "Unfortunately, the council is yet to exercise its duties officially. It is a legislative body that complements the work of the governorate executive administration. But right now, it is stalled," Hamadi added.

The Kirkuk Council comprises 16 seats. In the local elections held in Iraq on December 18, 2023, the distribution of seats saw Turkmens securing two, Arabs six, Kurdistan Patriotic Union Party five, Kurdistan Democratic Party two, and Christians one seat.