Iraqi government conducting deprivation policy against Kurdistan Region people: KRG spox

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Peshawa Hawramani, spokesman for the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), announced on Tuesday that the Iraqi government is conducting a “policy of deprivation against the people of the Kurdistan Region.”

“Kurdistan Region rights are mixed with political issues in the Kurdistan Region by the Iraqi government,” the KRG spox stated.  

Hawramani added that since the first negotiations with the federal government, the KRG has continually attempted to comply with the agreements made with the Iraqi government.

Moreover, he said that after all the negotiations, the Iraqi government had decided to send 500 billion Iraqi dinars (over $384 million) for the salaries of the Kurdistan Region, whereas the Kurdistan Region requires an additional 940 billion Iraqi dinars ($712 million).

Moreover, he stated that Prime Minister Masrour Barzani had spoken with the finance minister about giving priority to Kurdistan Region employee salaries.

Since its adoption in early June, KRG diplomats have alleged the budget has not been implemented properly by the Iraqi government. Instead of paying the Kurdish share, they allege Baghdad has released allowances to Erbil in order to cover public salaries. The KRG has previously said the 500 billion dinars (over $384 million) is not sufficient to pay the salaries.

Regarding recent tensions in Kirkuk, Hawramani showed his concern and said the mentality that occupies the lands of the Kurdistan Region is the same primitive mentality that used to exist for decades in Iraq.