Spokesperson says PUK insists on holding election, praises progress of talks with Baghdad

Shafaq News/ The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) on Monday reiterated its insistence on holding the Kurdistan regional parliamentary elections on time, saying that negotiations with Baghdad have made important progress.

"The PUK is in favor of holding the Kurdistan Parliament elections on time, and it supports the decisions of the Independent High Electoral Commission," said party leader Stran Abdullah at a press conference in al-Sulaymaniyah. 

"Many Kurdish parties support holding this electoral event, so it should be held on time. There is no intention to postpone the elections," he added.

On the relations between Baghdad and Erbil, Abdullah said that "the attempts made to normalize relations between the two sides were good. It is unreasonable to deal with Baghdad in a harsh language. The current situation requires rapprochement with Baghdad to resolve the outstanding problems."

On the issue of the salaries of the region's public servants, Abdullah said "it is going in the right direction, which is in favor of the region's employees."

The Kurdistan regional parliamentary elections are scheduled to be held on June 10, 2024. The PUK is one of the two main parties in the Kurdistan region, along with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). The two parties have been at odds over a number of issues, including the control of the disputed city of Kirkuk and the ties with Baghdad.