Salaries in Iraqi Kurdistan will be paid ‘in full’, Nechirvan Barzani says
Nechirvan Barzani, Iraqi Kurdistan Prime minister, Erbil, March 8, 2019. Photo: KRG
HEWLÊR-Erbil, Iraq’s Kurdistan region,— Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani announced Friday that the salary withholding system would end as of this month and that salaries would be paid in full from now on.
“Today’s meeting was exclusive to salary saving system in Kurdistan Region. I am glad to announce that starting from this month, the salary savings decision in Kurdistan Region will be removed and the salaries will be paid as they are — in full,” said Barzani, referring to the unpopular move by Erbil in 2016.
“I thank employees for tolerating it and we hope to reach a good outcome with Baghdad so that the Region’s people will not pay the price for political problems.” Barzani said at a press conference in Erbil.
The announcement followed a meeting of the Council of Ministers on the issue.
Barzani also said that the KRG is serious about resolving its problems with Baghdad in the frame of the Iraqi constitution.
“It [the salary saving system] was the worst decision of our political lives,” said Barzani while standing next to his deputy Qubad Talabani.
The latter has championed reforms as the Patriotic of Kurdistan (PUK) list head in last year’s elections.
But, Barzani said that the decision to save the salaries was compulsory since 2014 — when Baghdad cut Erbil’s share of the federal budget.
After the 2019 federal budget law was passed, many had hoped that the withholding system would be abandoned. The budget law included a provision that mandated that the central government continue to transfer funds to pay the salaries of public sector workers and Peshmerga, even in the event of a dispute between Erbil and Baghdad.
The secretary of the Kurdistan Region Council of Ministers Amanj Rahim said that they would try their best to repay the employees’ saved salaries through discussions with Baghdad.
Over the past year thousands of people protested over reduced salaries and delayed payments.
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