Kurdistan demands salary release after meeting commitments
Shafaq News – Erbil
Erbil has fulfilled its oil-related obligations under the agreement with Baghdad, a senior official said on Thursday, urging the federal government to release all remaining salaries owed to the Kurdistan Region.
On October 21, the Kurdish Finance Ministry deposited 120 billion dinars ($84.86M) in the federal government’s account, fulfilling a condition set by Baghdad for releasing Kurdistan’s salaries under a recent oil and revenue-sharing agreement.
The Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) financial adviser, Rebaz Hamlan, told reporters that following the resumption of oil exports, Kurdish Prime Minister Masrour Barzani informed Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani that all commitments had been implemented, saying, “it is the Region’s right to receive all salaries for the remainder of this year.”
Hamlan noted that al-Sudani pledged Baghdad’s commitment to the agreement, yet August salaries remain unpaid. He added that there is an intention to disburse two months of salaries in Kurdistan before Iraq's November 11 parliamentary elections, emphasizing that “no financial obstacle exists, as the Central Bank branch in Erbil holds sufficient reserves to cover three months of payments.”
Read more: Kurdistan's unpaid wages: A crisis of trust and federalism
