Kurdistan, Federal Officials Move Toward Stable Salary Distribution Framework

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Omed Sabah, the Head of the Diwan of the Kurdistan Region Council of Ministers, announced on Sunday that high-level discussions will be held with the Iraqi Minister of Finance to finalize the release and regular disbursement of salaries for the Kurdistan Region’s public-sector employees.

The announcement follows a series of diplomatic engagements in Baghdad led by Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani.

Speaking to Kurdistan24 reporter Shvan Jabari on Sunday, Sabah confirmed that the new Iraqi Prime Minister, Ali Zaidi, has issued a formal directive to the federal Ministry of Finance to ensure that the Region’s salaries are processed without administrative or political obstacles.

According to Sabah, the initial meetings between Prime Minister Barzani and federal officials were "very good and positive," setting a constructive tone for fiscal coordination. He noted that Prime Minister Zaidi has explicitly stated his intention to treat the Kurdistan Region’s financial entitlements on equal footing with those of other Iraqi provinces.

"I have ordered the Ministry of Finance to ensure there are no problems with the salaries of Kurdistan Region employees and that they be disbursed just like all other regions of Iraq," Sabah quoted the Iraqi Prime Minister as saying during the high-level talks.

The immediate focus of the coordination remains the disbursement of May salaries ahead of the upcoming Eid al-Adha holiday.

When asked about the timeline for these payments, Sabah indicated that the matter had been raised directly with Prime Minister Zaidi and would be a priority in the upcoming technical meeting with the federal Finance Minister.

This optimistic outlook is supported by recent statements from the federal government.

On Saturday, Iraqi Minister of Finance Falih Sari told Kurdistan24 reporter Dylan Barzan that the federal government intends to release the Kurdistan Region’s salaries before the holiday, ensuring that regional employees receive their pay in a timeframe consistent with federal employees across Iraq.

The push for a more stable and institutionalized payment mechanism has been a central theme of the Kurdish delegation’s diplomacy in the capital. During a press briefing in Baghdad earlier today, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani reiterated the necessity of separating public-sector wages from broader, more complex political disagreements between Erbil and the federal government.

"In our meetings with senior Iraqi officials, we requested that the salary issue be separated from all other problems," Barzani stated, adding that the salaries of the Kurdistan Region’s workforce should be treated under a constitutional framework that guarantees the rights of every Iraqi citizen without discrimination.

The anticipated meetings between Kurdish and Iraqi finance officials represent a critical step toward normalizing the fiscal relationship between Erbil and Baghdad. For years, the regular disbursement of salaries in the Region has been a recurring point of friction, often linked to disputes over oil revenue, budget allocations, and political concessions.

The conclusion of these high-level discussions suggests a mutual movement toward continued technical and political engagement.

By seeking to establish a predictable schedule for salary transfers, both governments aim to reduce recurring tensions and ensure that the livelihoods of public-sector employees are protected from the volatility of political negotiations. As the committees move toward their next session, the focus remains on transforming these high-level assurances into a sustainable, long-term administrative reality.