Kurdistan salary impasse casts shadow over Eid
Shafaq News/ Public employees across the Kurdistan Region marked the first day of Eid al-Adha without receiving their salaries, as the long-running payroll crisis continues with no resolution in sight.
Despite political messaging issued for the holiday, the federal government has not taken any concrete measures to address the salary dispute or provide alternative mechanisms to ensure regular payments.
The Kurdish Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs Pshtewan Sadiq expressed concern to Shafaq News over the federal government’s decision to withhold salaries during a major religious occasion, adding, “This decision is unconstitutional and unlawful. I do not believe any government in the world would do such a thing on a holiday.”
Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) Leader Masoud Barzani condemned the salary cutoff, linking the move to “past atrocities committed against the Kurdish people.” “The will of the Kurdish people is stronger than any injustice or attempt to erase them,” he said.
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Bafel Talabani also voiced these concerns, affirming that the Kurdish leadership will intensify efforts to remove all obstacles “and pursue every path toward resolving this major crisis.”
The salary crisis in the Kurdistan Region began in June 2014, when payments became irregular and subject to significant deductions. The situation has continued despite the appreciation of the dinar against the US dollar and persistently high market prices, compounding the financial burden on public servants.
