ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Civil servants from several Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) institutions in Sulaimani and Halabja provinces briefly went on strike in the last two days due to the government’s failure to pay their salaries.
The KRG has not paid its civil servants for the months of June and July following several failed deals with Baghdad. This has angered public employees who demand the payment of their salaries.
The employees of Halabja province’s directorate of culture and a small loan provider office in Chamchamal announced that they had gone on strike but hours later their managers said the strikes had ended “after their messages were heard.”
Sulaimani’s municipalities on Sunday briefly went on strike as well.
Iraq's recently-passed budget law was supposed to end years-long dispute between Erbil and Baghdad over the Kurdistan Region’s federal share but both governments had to make further deals last week to finalise their agreement. The KRG claimed that all issues related to its share had been resolved and Baghdad would send the salaries of the Kurdish government soon.
Shakhawan Abdullah, deputy speaker of the Iraqi parliament, told Rudaw on Monday that Baghdad would send the Region’s share within two days.
KRG has failed to pay its civil servants on time and in full for several years due to the financial crisis.
The Kurdish government heavily relies on oil income and it used to export nearly half a million barrels of crude oil per day before an arbitration case between Turkey and Iraq ended the process in late March. Despite talks between Erbil, Baghdad and Ankara, the Region’s oil export has yet to be resumed.
The KRG has not paid its civil servants for the months of June and July following several failed deals with Baghdad. This has angered public employees who demand the payment of their salaries.
The employees of Halabja province’s directorate of culture and a small loan provider office in Chamchamal announced that they had gone on strike but hours later their managers said the strikes had ended “after their messages were heard.”
Sulaimani’s municipalities on Sunday briefly went on strike as well.
Iraq's recently-passed budget law was supposed to end years-long dispute between Erbil and Baghdad over the Kurdistan Region’s federal share but both governments had to make further deals last week to finalise their agreement. The KRG claimed that all issues related to its share had been resolved and Baghdad would send the salaries of the Kurdish government soon.
Shakhawan Abdullah, deputy speaker of the Iraqi parliament, told Rudaw on Monday that Baghdad would send the Region’s share within two days.
KRG has failed to pay its civil servants on time and in full for several years due to the financial crisis.
The Kurdish government heavily relies on oil income and it used to export nearly half a million barrels of crude oil per day before an arbitration case between Turkey and Iraq ended the process in late March. Despite talks between Erbil, Baghdad and Ankara, the Region’s oil export has yet to be resumed.
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