The Ministry of Finance has issued a statement denying any involvement in the delays surrounding the salaries of employees in the Kurdistan Region. According to the ministry, it operates on the same protocols for salary disbursement as it does for the federal ministries and their provinces, emphasizing that measures are consistently applied to the Kurdistan Region as well.
The ministry clarified that the delay in salary payments is unrelated to their operations and reiterated its dedication to implementing the Federal Court’s decision, which has been pending for over a year. It pointed out that the region has yet to submit required data for localizing salary payments to all banks, not just government institutions, in alignment with the Federal Court’s ruling affecting all employees across state departments.
Further elaboration revealed that the delays are exacerbated by the region’s failure to filter out the names of employees who are now retired. The Ministry stated that addressing this issue is essential for smoothing the disbursement process, including ensuring that the pensions of retirees adhere to the amended Retirement Law No. 26 of 2019, calculating benefits appropriately, and distinguishing between affected retirees.
The Ministry highlighted that a portion of discrepancy arises from the salaries of the Peshmerga forces—who are considered part of the Federal Land Forces—being paid out of the region’s budget share. This has led to a shortfall, with the Federal Ministry of Defense being responsible for their salary allocations for more than two years.
The ministry also noted that the region must provide transparency regarding individuals receiving multiple salaries, along with relevant regional laws to prevent inconsistencies during monthly audits and name checks.
In its statement, the Ministry of Finance emphasized the critical nature of salary resettlement as a means to adhere to the Federal Court ruling, advocating for a system that ensures timely and direct salary payments to employees—rights enshrined in the constitution.
Additionally, the ministry has faced delays in completing the monthly review scales for December 2024 due to input errors. Ministry representatives are currently working alongside evaluators to finalize the monthly scales from the prior month, aiming to consolidate the final account of state finances for submission to the Finance Committee in Parliament, the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers, and the Federal Financial Supervisory Bureau.
In conclusion, the Ministry of Finance confirmed its commitment to processing the January salaries for state employees, reiterating that the month has not yet concluded.