KRG Minister Slams Baghdad’s Salary Suspension as “Inhumane” and “Unconstitutional”
KRG Minister Aydin Maruf condemned Baghdad’s suspension of salaries in the Kurdistan Region as “inhumane” and unconstitutional, accusing the federal government of politicizing a humanitarian issue and systematically using it to pressure Erbil for political gain.
By Kamaran Aziz
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Aydin Maruf, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)’s Minister of Ethnic and Religious Communities, condemned the Iraqi government’s ongoing suspension of salaries in the Kurdistan Region, describing it as an “inhumane” act that violates both constitutional principles and the rights of public sector workers.
In a statement to Kurdistan24 on Saturday, Maruf warned that Baghdad is politicizing a basic humanitarian issue. “Salaries are a critical and humanitarian matter,” he said. “Baghdad is weaponizing this issue for its own political gain and aims, and refuses to honor the agreements made with the Kurdistan Region.”
Maruf criticized the timing of the suspension, coming just days before the Eid al-Adha holiday. “This is a gross injustice against the people of Kurdistan,” he stated. “It is a decision that is both inhumane and contrary to Iraq’s own constitution.”
He noted that although multiple financial agreements have been made between Erbil and Baghdad, “the federal government has never adhered to any of them,” particularly on matters of budget and salaries. He added that recent rulings by Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court, as well as provisions in the Federal Budget Law, clearly define these responsibilities.
“Unfortunately, every month we see Baghdad using different excuses to withhold the salaries of Kurdistan’s civil servants. This defies every legal and constitutional principle,” Maruf emphasized.
The minister also accused Baghdad of turning the salary issue into a political weapon. “The federal government is deliberately using this as a tool of political pressure against the Kurdistan Region,” he said.
Maruf concluded by warning that the pressure campaign is not a temporary phenomenon. “These pressures are systematic and ongoing. For months, we have faced the same challenges. Other political actors in Baghdad are complicit, seeking to undermine relations between Erbil and Baghdad for their own interests.”
