Sulaimani Parties Using Salary Delays to Mislead Voters: Iraqi MP
He further argued that in Sulaimani, political competition is driven by misinformation rather than policy-driven debates.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is facing a deepening financial standoff with Baghdad over unpaid salaries, as political disputes intensify ahead of Iraq’s parliamentary elections.
Member of Parliament Shwan Mohammed told Kurdistan24 on Monday that December 2024 salaries for all civil servants in the Kurdistan Region remain withheld by the federal government, exacerbating economic uncertainty and frustration among public sector employees.
Mohammed emphasized that the KRG has fought an unparalleled battle with Baghdad over salary payments, pushing for a resolution that guarantees 12 months of full salary payments in the 2025 federal budget.
He revealed that during the most recent negotiations between the KRG’s Ministry of Finance and Economy delegation and Iraq’s Ministry of Finance in Baghdad, both sides had reached an agreement in principle to secure these payments.
However, the unresolved issue of December salaries has become a major point of contention.
Financial Deadlock and Budgetary Disputes
According to Mohammed, the KRG has explicitly informed the Iraqi government that the December salaries for Kurdistan Region employees remain unpaid and must either be included in the 2025 budget or provided as a loan.
Additionally, beyond the allocated 12 trillion dinars for salaries, Baghdad still holds over 6 trillion dinars of the Kurdistan Region’s budget, further complicating financial planning for the KRG.
Despite repeated requests from the KRG delegation, December salaries have yet to be released. Mohammed stressed that this is not just a financial issue but a political maneuver designed to pressure the KRG ahead of the upcoming elections.
Political Manipulation and Election Strategies
Mohammed accused political factions, particularly in Sulaimani, of exploiting the salary crisis to gain electoral leverage.
He claimed that various political parties are using the issue to manipulate public sentiment, particularly as parliamentary elections approach.
"With only a few months remaining until the elections, they don’t want to be left behind. All parties are participating in this exploitation, bringing individuals from Baghdad to demonstrate and mislead the public for votes," he asserted.
He further argued that in Sulaimani, political competition is driven by misinformation rather than policy-driven debates.
"There is no scientific basis for obtaining votes; instead, parties resort to misleading tactics to secure public support," he stated, condemning the use of economic grievances as political tools.