Kurdish PM's Advisor: Iraqi government continues to “offer excuses” for delays in salaries
Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, Rebaz Hamlan, the Financial Advisor to the Kurdish Prime Minister, revealed the reason behind the Iraqi government's failure to fund the salaries of public sector employees in the Kurdistan Region for August and September.
In a press conference in Erbil, Hamlan stated, “The Iraqi Ministry of Finance was supposed to send the 243 billion dinars ($184,717,737.90) shortfall for August's salaries at the beginning of this week.” However, he expressed disappointment that “the ministry continues to offer excuses and delay the matter,” hoping that the funds would be sent today.
He explained, “The ministry has some observations regarding the employee lists, particularly concerning the biometric system and certain promotions in some government departments in the Region.”
The Financial Advisor also noted, “If the amount is deposited into the account of the Central Bank of Iraq branch in Erbil, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) will begin distributing the August salary.” Regarding the September salaries, he mentioned that the ministry requested the KRG to use the February lists for this purpose.
Notably, employees in the Region have faced ongoing delays in monthly salaries for years. The crisis is rooted in financial issues, including the global drop in oil prices and the Kurdish financial burden from the fight against ISIS.
Despite the Federal Court's acknowledgment of Baghdad's obligation to pay salaries regularly, problems with salary distribution persist, with some attributing these issues to political rather than financial factors.
The delay has become a chronic issue, impacting residents' daily lives. With many dependent on these salaries for basic needs, frequent delays have led to significant psychological and social problems.
In response to the delays, employees increasingly resort to borrowing to cover basic needs, exacerbating their debt and adding social and economic pressure on themselves and their families.
