Iraq’s Federal Court to Convene on Kurdistan Salaries as National Security Adviser Urges Resolution
“Kurdistan’s financial entitlements, especially salaries, must be provided. Erbil and Baghdad must reach an agreement on this matter,” Iraqi National Security Adviser Qasim al-Araji stated.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Iraq’s Federal Court is set to convene next Monday to review the long-standing issue of salary disbursements to public servants in the Kurdistan Region. The move comes amid growing calls for a legal solution that is detached from ongoing political tensions between Erbil and Baghdad.
A Kurdistan24 correspondent in Baghdad reported that a formal petition has been submitted to the Federal Court, urging it to mandate Iraq’s Ministry of Finance to release the monthly salaries of Kurdistan Region employees without delay and independently of the political disputes between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the federal government in Baghdad.
The July 7th session of the court marks the first under the court's newly restructured leadership. The upcoming deliberation will assess the mechanisms for addressing the salary crisis and financial entitlements of Kurdistan Region civil servants.
The backdrop to this development includes the June 19 resignation of six principal and three alternate members of the Federal Supreme Court of Iraq. Their departure came as the court was expected to issue a ruling on the contentious salary issue—an unresolved matter that has increasingly strained federal-regional relations.
In a related development, Iraqi National Security Adviser Qasim al-Araji emphasized the need for a constitutional resolution to the dispute. Speaking at a press conference in the Barzan area on Thursday, Araji stated, “Kurdistan’s financial entitlements, especially salaries, must be provided. Erbil and Baghdad must reach an agreement on this matter.”
Araji added that disputes between the Kurdistan Region and the federal government should be addressed through constitutional mechanisms and affirmed that the rights of the Kurdistan Region, particularly salaries, must be upheld.
He also mentioned ongoing investigations into recent drone strikes in both the Kurdistan Region and other parts of Iraq, suggesting that the federal government is working to protect national security and regional stability.
Araji visited the Kurdistan Region on Wednesday and held high-level meetings with President Masoud Barzani, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, and Prime Minister Masrour Barzani. Their discussions focused on regional developments, the peace process in Turkey, and steps to resolve the salary and budget disputes between Erbil and Baghdad.
The issue of public sector salaries has become a central point of contention in Iraq’s federal politics, with citizens in the Kurdistan Region facing severe delays and uncertainty over payments. The upcoming court session is expected to play a crucial role in determining a legal path forward.
