PM Barzani Accuses Baghdad of Unjustified Salary Delays
PM Masrour Barzani urged Baghdad to release the Kurdistan Region’s delayed September salaries, saying there is “no justification” for withholding payments as the KRG has fulfilled all obligations and continues implementing the oil export agreement.
Erbil (Kurdistan24) – Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Sunday criticized the Iraqi federal government for withholding the September salaries of Kurdistan Region public employees, stressing that there is “no justification” for Baghdad’s continued delay despite the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) fulfilling all its obligations.
Speaking during a press conference following the foundation-stone ceremony for the second phase of the Erbil Wastewater Treatment Plant project, the Prime Minister said the delay had reached an “unacceptable” stage.
“We have said repeatedly: there is no justification for not sending the salary. Not just this salary, but all of this year’s salaries,” he stated, underscoring that the KRG has fully complied with the federal framework governing revenue transfers and oil exports.
The Prime Minister reiterated that the region has met every requirement set by Baghdad, including the continued export of oil through the State Organization for Marketing of Oil (SOMO) and the transfer of revenues to the federal treasury.
The Prime minister’s remarks came a day after Aziz Ahmed, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, issued a public warning on his X account, confirming that Baghdad had still not sent the September salaries and emphasizing that “the Kurdistan Regional Government has fulfilled all its obligations.”
The issue dominated discussions in the KRG Council of Ministers’ regular session last month, chaired by Prime Minister Barzani.
According to a KRG statement, the Ministry of Finance and Economy presented a detailed report outlining the Region’s financial status, including challenges surrounding the salaries for August, September, and the coming months of 2025.
Senior officials — including Finance Minister Awat Janab Noori, Diwan President Umed Sabah Othman, and Cabinet Secretary Amanj Raheem — reviewed the financial data, reaffirming Erbil’s commitment to the federal framework and to transferring all non-oil revenues to Baghdad.
The Council stressed that the federal government must instruct the Ministry of Finance in Baghdad to release the Region’s salaries without further delays, particularly given that the trilateral oil-export agreement is being implemented as planned.
As the Kurdistan Region continues to meet its obligations within the federal framework, the Prime Minister emphasized that salary payments must not be used as a political or administrative leverage point.
