Former Iraqi Deputy Speaker Urges KRG Action on Salary Crisis
Former Iraqi Deputy Speaker Bashir Haddad urged the KRG to act decisively amid Baghdad’s continued salary withholding, calling it a political strategy. He proposed forming a national committee and securing interim salaries through local partnerships to ease tensions and find solutions.
By Kamaran Aziz
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – As Baghdad's withholding of salaries pushes the Kurdistan Region into a corner, former Iraqi Deputy Speaker Bashir Khalil Haddad has called on the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to make a decisive move, warning that the federal government's actions reveal a deliberate political strategy to avoid resolution.
Haddad, speaking to Kurdistan24 on Saturday, emphasized that Baghdad's goal is to corner the Kurdistan Region and not pay its salaries.
He pointed to recent developments as evidence of this intent: "the expiration of a 48-hour deadline, the conclusion of a Tuesday meeting, and the suspension of work by a committee formed by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. According to Haddad, these signs indicate that Baghdad does not want an agreement."
"The time has come for the Kurdistan Regional Government to make a decision," Haddad stated.
He advised that any such decision should be wise and supported by all of Kurdistan's political parties. Additionally, he proposed forming a national committee composed of public figures, politicians, and dignitaries from the Kurdistan Region to find a national solution and make a collective decision regarding Baghdad.
In the interim, Haddad urged the KRG to prepare at least one salary payment for public sector employees by any means possible, in partnership with wealthy individuals, investors, and companies in Kurdistan.
Haddad's remarks highlight escalating tensions between Erbil and Baghdad over financial entitlements, underscoring the need for internal unity in Kurdistan to address the salary impasse.
While his suggestions for a national committee and interim funding partnerships offer practical pathways forward, they also reflect the broader challenges of federal-regional relations in Iraq, where political objectives often intersect with economic disputes.
This situation could prompt renewed dialogue or further strain, depending on the KRG's response and Baghdad's willingness to engage.
