KDP's faction at Iraqi Parliament addresses Iraqi PM Al-Sudani
"Unfortunately, despite 70 days have passed by, we were shocked that only 760 billion dinars transferred for employees, the Kurdistan Region's total payment is more than 900 billion dinars" Vian Sabri stated.
Dec. 5, 2024
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi parliament began its session, on Wednesday December 4th, 2024, hosting the Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Planning and Interior, the meeting was adjourned for the following day, Thursday, December 5th, 2024.
The debate brought on the internal problems in Iraq, escalating tensions in the region, oil exports and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)'s employees' monthly salaries in the presence of the Iraqi Prime Minister.
The Head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP)'s faction at the Iraqi Parliament, Vian Sabari stressed that the salaries transferring is overdue "it's been 70 days, yet the Kurdistan Region's citizens have not received their monthly salaries for October and November, which is their constitutional, legal and legitimate right, that has led to develop economic troubles within the state,"
Ms. Sabri was addressing the Iraqi Prime Minister in the session, explaining that according to the decision issued by the Federal Supreme Court, the KRG's employees' salaries must be paid monthly, likewise any other Iraqi provinces
"Unfortunately, despite 70 days have passed by, we were shocked that only 760 billion dinars transferred for employees, the Kurdistan Region's total payment is more than 900 billion dinars, which means that the amount of money you (the Iraqi government) sent over is less by more than 200 billion dinars" she said.
Vian referred her enquiries to Al-Sudani, the Prime Minister, wondered about payment deficiency, transferring the budget authority, which is according to the budget law is within the authority of the Iraqi Council of Ministers, and since the Federal Ministry of Finance announced that "why are -your honorable- not ordering the Ministry of Finance to complete that deficiency and transferred it on for the employees in Kurdistan Region?” She asked.
According to Vian's speech in the debate, the Kurdistan Regional Government fulfilled its obligations under the budget law and sent over half of its non-oil revenues.
The census rate proved that the Kurdistan Region's share in the federal budget would be 14%, "in fact, we have not received more than 5% or 6%” Sabri emphasized.
She further stated "some people may say that the Kurdistan Region can complete the deficit and pay the employees' salaries by the oil-exports revenues, but for your information and all the MPs, that is not true because Kurdistan Region has not exported a single barrel of oil, all it produces is for the domestic needs and oil companies.”
In conclusion, Vian called on the Prime Minister "with all the pledges made, within your constitutional responsibility, to review this issue, and to process the remaining financial entitlements that the Kurdistan Regional Government employees have."
On Thursday Vian told the website section of Kurdistan 24 "according to the agenda, the Iraqi parliament was scheduled to hold the second reading of the amendment to Article (13), paragraph C, but upon the chairman of the Finance Committee, Atwan Atwani's request from the Speaker of the Parliament, it was removed from the agenda"
She further added "the Kurdish factions at the Iraqi Parliament boycotted today's session and did not allow the legal merit for the debate to be complete, so the session was postponed to Saturday, December 7th, 2024"
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