Delayed salaries in Kurdistan: a chronic issue affecting daily life
Shafaq News/Employees in the Kurdistan Region have faced ongoing delays in monthly salariesfor years. The crisis is rooted in financial issues, including the global dropin oil prices and the Kurdish financial burden from the fight against ISIS.Despite the Federal Court's acknowledgment of Baghdad's obligation to paysalaries regularly, problems with salary distribution persist, with someattributing these issues to political rather than financial factors, especiallyfollowing the delay of July's salary for over 50 days.
The delayhas become a chronic issue, impacting residents' daily lives. With manydependent on these salaries for basic needs, frequent delays have led tosignificant psychological and social problems.
Frustration,Depression
AmeerMohammed, a social researcher, told Shafaq News Agency that the delaysnegatively impact employees' mental health. "The anxiety resulting fromirregular salary payments increases stress levels, potentially leading to sleepdisorders and heart diseases," he said.
Mohammednoted that the ongoing delays foster a sense of frustration and hopelessnessabout financial improvement, which can develop into depression, affecting jobperformance and social interactions further increasing social isolation.
FamilyTensions
HawrasAhmed, a social activist, pointed out that the financial pressures caused bysalary delays result in tensions and conflicts within families, threateningtheir stability. She also warned that some individuals might turn to illegalmeasures to meet their financial needs, which could increase crime rates andnegatively impact community security. "The general instability caused bysalary delays could lead to heightened protests and demonstrations, reflectingthe intensity of social conflicts within the community," Ahmed added.
IncreasedDebt
In responseto the delays, employees increasingly resort to borrowing to cover basic needs,exacerbating their debt and adding social and economic pressure on themselvesand their families. Reports and community investigations indicate that salarydelays represent a deep psychological and social challenge, necessitatingeffective strategies to support individuals and ensure their stability.
Calls ForAccountability
KarwanYarwis, an Al-Sulaimaniyah MP, criticized Baghdad's decisions regarding thedelay in salaries for Kurdistan Region employees. He blamed the federal financeministry and the Kurdish government for the delays.
"I urgethe Federal Court to take a firm stance on the non-implementation of itsdecisions," Yarwris said during a press conference.
He addedthat any delay in salaries, whether due to technical reasons or otherwise,should be the two ministries' responsibility.
Yawris notedthat during a parliamentary finance committee meeting three weeks ago, theIraqi finance minister assured that salaries for civil servants would be sentwithin two days, suggesting no issues with the payroll. However, he expressedsurprise at the Iraqi finance ministry's decision to link July's salarypayments to settlement procedures with the region. "Linking salarypayments to such procedures is unconstitutional and inhumane and contradictsthe Federal Court's decisions," Yawris said. He argued that disputesbetween Baghdad and Erbil should be resolved independently of employee salariesand warned that using regional employees' salaries as leverage isunconstitutional and illegal.
