Kurdistan PM orders legal action against disruption of “Hisabi” payroll project

Shafaq News/ Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani has instructed the ministries of Finance, Interior, and the Attorney General to enforce strict legal and administrative measures against those obstructing the My Account (Hisabi) payroll project, which aims to localize salaries for government employees. This directive follows a recent decision to shut down Hisabi offices in Al-Sulaymaniyah, according to an official document.

Bafel Talabani, head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), had campaigned in the latest Kurdistan parliamentary elections, held on October 20, for an alternative localization project and urged employees to reject Hisabi, calling it a “project of Prime Minister Masrour Barzani.” His stance gained support from some political factions in Al-Sulaymaniyah.

The post-election closure of Hisabi offices in Al-Sulaymaniyah banks quickly prompted a strong response from PM Barzani.

Following the KRG’s directives, Chief of Staff Umed Sabah issued an official letter to the attorney general and relevant ministries on Sunday, warning that any disruption of the project would lead to accountability measures.

The document stipulates that the Ministry of Finance is to take legal action against bank managers or government officials who hinder Hisabi employees, based on Articles 4 and 5 of the Public Employee Control Law.

Additionally, the Ministry of Interior is directed to investigate and penalize police officers and officials involved in obstructing Hisabi staff, per Internal Security Law No. 14 of 2008.

The attorney general is tasked with initiating criminal cases against those who disrupt Hisabi operations under Articles 231 and 240 of the Penal Code and the Public Prosecutor Law No. 159 of 1975.

In a broader mandate, the Prime Minister’s Office issued a notice to all ministries and non-ministerial entities, underscoring the importance of implementing Hisabi and warning against any attempts to obstruct it.

Hisabi’s payroll localization aligns with a ruling by Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court on February 21, which mandated the localization of salaries for Kurdistan Region employees through Iraqi federal banks to protect wages from political tensions between Erbil and Baghdad.

This controversy over payroll systems arises as the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), which emerged as the dominant party in the recent elections, prepares to negotiate with other political factions, including the PUK, to form the KRG’s tenth cabinet.