KRG Council of Ministers discuss Peshmerga and security forces salaries

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Wednesday chaired a meeting of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Council of Ministers.

In the initial agenda item of the meeting, Rebar Ahmed, the Minister of Interior, presented the outcomes of the joint session between the federal and regional governments held on July 1 in Baghdad. This session focused on the management of border crossings.

The meeting underscored the importance of enhancing cooperation and coordination between the KRG and the federal government in accordance with the Constitution.

The Council of Ministers expressed their support for the KRG's negotiating delegation. It directed them to continue their discussions with the Iraqi government within the constitutional and legal parameters framework.

Subsequently, the Council of Ministers examined the issue of salary payments, particularly for the Peshmerga and security forces. Regrettably, the Iraqi Ministry of Finance has not disbursed salaries for May and June. Awat Janab Noori, the Minister of Finance and Economy, presented a comprehensive report on this matter.

The Council of Ministers reaffirmed the KRG's commitment to finding a genuine solution to all unresolved issues with the federal government. They stressed that regional institutions have fulfilled their obligations, and thus, salaries should not be delayed.

The Council called on the Iraqi government to promptly disburse the salaries of the Peshmerga and security forces for May and June. Additionally, they demanded the release of other entitled funds for operational allocations, reconstruction, and investment projects, as outlined in the 2024 Iraqi budget. Despite the KRG having remitted its non-oil revenues to the Federal Ministry of Finance, no corresponding funds have been transferred to the region yet.