Shafaq News/ A former Kurdish lawmaker Payman Azad-Din, on Tuesday, statedthat the ongoing protests in Al-Sulaymaniyah are backed by the Patriotic Unionof Kurdistan (PUK).
The member of the "Change Movement," asserted in a statement that"The protests in Al-Sulaymaniyah are organized with the PUK’s consent. Ifthey were not sanctioned by the party, security forces, whether police orspecial units, would crack down on participants with force."
She further emphasized that any demonstration in the city requires the PUK’sapproval, ensuring that security forces should handle it in an official mannerto prevent unrest. "It is crucial that these protests end with a decisionfrom the party," she added.
Salaries Nightmare
The Kurdistan Region is grappling with a deepening salary crisis, withpublic sector employees, including teachers, striking over unpaid wages forDecember 2024 and January 2025.
The crisis stems from a long-standing financial dispute between theKurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the federal government in Baghdad, inwhich the latter insists that the KRG must transfer all oil production to theState Organization for Marketing of Oil (SOMO), with revenues directed to thenational treasury. The KRG, however, argues that it should deduct productioncosts before transferring the funds.
Financial experts highlight inefficiencies within the KRG’s payroll system,citing "inflated employee lists" and resistance to direct bankdeposits.
Economist Mustafa Hantoush criticized both sides, stating, "The KRGmust reform its payroll system and enhance transparency, while Baghdad shoulddepoliticize salary payments to ensure financial stability."
Meanwhile, KRG officials accuse Baghdad of using financial policies to exertpolitical pressure. As both sides remain at an impasse, uncertainty looms overwhen and how the crisis will be resolved to stabilize public sector wages andservices.