Over 100,000 social protection beneficiaries in KRI face 9-year salary cuts

Shafaq News/ On Monday, volunteer lawyers in Al-Sulaymaniyah, in the east of the Kurdistan Region (KRI), announced that over 100,000 beneficiaries of the Social Protection Law in the Region had their salaries cut for about 9 years.

Bahaa El-Din Abdullah, representing lawyers for citizens affected by salary cuts, told Shafaq News Agency at a press conference, “Since August 2015, salaries for those covered by the Law, as guaranteed by the Iraqi Constitution and regional and federal laws, have been cut.”

“The categories include divorced women, widows, spinsters, orphans, and the elderly, totaling over 100,000 people, with about 30,000 in Al-Sulaymaniyah, who previously received monthly grants of 150,000 dinars, but these payments have been stopped without explanation,” he added.

“Despite contacting the authorities and filing a judicial complaint, the case was initially dismissed and remains delayed despite efforts to resolve it.”

In this context, Abdullah urged the Iraqi President, Federal Prime Minister, and Finance Minister to “resolve the issue,” noting that “the Federal Court mandates Iraq to pay salaries to employees, retirees, and social protection beneficiaries.”

“The Regional Government did not send their names to Baghdad for monthly salaries, despite their biometric registration.”