Delay in Kurdish Employee Salaries Linked to Federal Finance Ministry Conditions
On March 15, 2025, Ghaleb Muhammad, a former Kurdish MP, disclosed a stipulation imposed by the Federal Ministry of Finance regarding the disbursement of salaries for employees in the Kurdistan Region ahead of Eid Al-Fitr.
Financial Requirements for Salary Disbursement
In his remarks, Muhammad indicated that the Ministry of Finance has mandated the Kurdistan Regional Government to submit non-oil internal revenue figures for February and March. The government will only release the employees’ March salaries once these financial disclosures are received.
Muhammad further criticized the regional government’s handling of the salary situation, asserting that it consistently encounters obstacles and that any delays in salary payments are primarily attributable to the government’s ongoing issues with reconciliation of payment lists. He expressed concern that unless there is a significant shift—namely, a transition to direct payroll processing through federal banks—the problems with salary disbursement are likely to persist.
Efforts by the Kurdistan Regional Government
In response, Bishua Huramani, the spokesman for the Kurdistan Regional Government, assured the public of efforts being made to ensure salary payments are processed before Eid Al-Fitr. He reported that during a recent council session, Prime Minister Masrur Barzani urged his administration to prepare the necessary salary list and forward it to Baghdad promptly.
Huramani highlighted that Barzani has also instructed various ministries to utilize the official holiday period to expedite salary distribution ahead of the holiday celebrations.
Conclusion
The situation around salary delays in the Kurdistan Region underscores the complexities of intergovernmental financial relations in Iraq. The demands from the Federal Ministry of Finance, along with the ongoing issues within the regional government’s management of payroll, suggest a prolonged period of uncertainty for public sector employees in the region as Eid approaches.
