KRG Council Urges Federal Government to Permanently Resolve Salary Issues for Kurdistan’s Public Sector Workers

On December 20, 2023, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani chaired a Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Council of Ministers meeting, attended by Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani.

The session initially addressed amendments to the Federal Budget Law and the Oil and Gas Law. Ministers presented progress reports on these amendments, crucial for securing public sector salaries in Kurdistan. The KRG has met all financial commitments to Baghdad, as verified by the Federal Board of Supreme Audit, which audited the KRG’s obligations and acknowledged the KRG’s full cooperation.

The Council emphasised the need for the federal government to permanently and effectively address the salary issues of the Kurdistan Region’s public sector workers in 2024, advocating for their financial rights to be insulated from political disputes. They highlighted that workers in the region should receive equitable pay compared to their counterparts elsewhere in Iraq.

The Council also noted the three-month salary delay in 2023 for these workers, attributing it to the federal government’s failure to disburse financial entitlements, which burdened employees and the broader Kurdistan Region economically.

Later, Minister of Planning Dara Rashid discussed a draft titled ‘Guidelines for the Work of Foreign Workers in the Kurdistan Region,’ aimed at regulating work and residence permits to boost local employment and manage the foreign workforce effectively.

Abdullah Haji Mahmood, Minister of Martyrs and Anfal Affairs, proposed actions regarding political prisoners and detainees. The Council endorsed these and directed the ministry to urge the federal government to uphold its constitutional obligations towards these individuals.