Latest news with #Baghdad-KRG
Rudaw Net
4 days ago
- Business
- Rudaw Net
KDP warns of 'serious stance' if Baghdad fails to pay KRG's financial entitlements
Also in Iraq Coordination Framework delegation to visit Erbil amid Baghdad-KRG strain Kurdistan workers urge Iraq's top court to order salary release from Baghdad Iraq transfers military college cadets to Baghdad after tragic deaths Iraqi leaders receive Lebanese president for talks on bilateral ties, security A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Kurdistan Region's strongest political party on Thursday slammed Baghdad for its decision to stop paying the Region's civil servants. The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) also warned it may take a "serious stance" if the Iraqi government fails to release the Region's financial entitlements by June 6. In a sharply worded statement, the KDP accused the federal government of continuing 'to violate the constitutional rights of the Kurdistan Region,' adding that the latest violation is the Iraqi finance ministry's decision on Wednesday to cut the Region's funding. The KDP further warned that 'if the rights and financial entitlements of the people of the Kurdistan Region,' including public employee salaries, 'are not sent before Eid al-Adha [on June 6], we will take a serious stance and announce it.' Iraqi Finance Minister Taif Sami claimed on Wednesday that the ministry is 'unable' to continue financing the Kurdistan Region, alleging that Erbil has exceeded its 12.67 percent budget share set by the 2025 Federal Budget Law. In an official letter to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Sami said that Erbil exceeded its allocated share by 13.547 trillion dinars ($10.34 billion), adding that under Iraq's Federal Supreme Court decisions, further funding in such circumstances is prohibited. Sami further added that the Region's oil and non-oil revenues from 2023 until April of this year amounted to 19.9 trillion dinars ($15.19 billion); however it only transferred 598.5 billion dinars ($456.87 million) to the federal government. Importantly, the finance ministry was expected to pay the salaries of civil servants in the Kurdistan Region for the month of May ahead of the Muslim holiday on June 6. Sherwan Dubardani, a KDP member of the Iraqi parliament, told Rudaw on Wednesday that 'the audit process for the salary lists of employees and beneficiaries in the Kurdistan Region has been completed,' and anticipated that salary distribution would occur before Friday. However, the finance ministry's recent decision has effectively brought the process to a halt. The KDP on Thursday censured Sami's decision, calling it contradictory to 'the constitution and the principles of the government formation agreement,' and said it 'reflects the politicization of the people's funds.' Importantly, the KDP is a key member of the governing State Administration Coalition, which includes the Shiite-led Coordination Framework, the Sunni Sovereignty Alliance, and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). The coalition's September 2022 formation was marked by the nomination of Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani as prime minister and it currently holds 275 of the 329 seats in the Iraqi parliament. In the lead-up to the formation of the Coalition, Kurdish parties, namely the KDP and PUK, outlined several key demands to ensure their participation and safeguard the Kurdistan Region's constitutional rights. The Kurdish parties' demands included implementing the Oil and Gas Law, ensuring timely payment of the Kurdistan Region's financial entitlements, recognizing Kurdish constitutional rights, and protecting disputed territories such as the oil-rich city of Kirkuk. In light of the finance ministry's recent decision, it remains to be seen whether the KDP will consider withdrawing from the governing coalition. Rudaw has learned that the KRG's finance ministry will respond to Sami's claims soon.
Rudaw Net
4 days ago
- Business
- Rudaw Net
Kurdistan workers urge Iraq's top court to order salary release from Baghdad
Also in Iraq Coordination Framework delegation to visit Erbil amid Baghdad-KRG strain Iraq transfers military college cadets to Baghdad after tragic deaths Iraqi leaders receive Lebanese president for talks on bilateral ties, security Baghdad decision not to send salaries 'political': Senior KDP official A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq's highest judicial authority, the Federal Supreme Court, announced on Sunday that it has registered a new lawsuit filed by public servants in the Kurdistan Region, seeking an injunction to ensure the continued payment of their salaries. The legal action comes just days after Iraq's finance ministry said it would cut funding to the Region, including salaries. In a statement obtained by Rudaw the court stated, 'Today [Sunday], a lawsuit was filed by [public] employees from the Kurdistan Region demanding the continued disbursement of salaries on schedule.' The plaintiffs are 'requesting the issuance of an injunction order to compel the federal finance ministry to resume salary disbursements' in accordance with a previous ruling - federal court decision No. 224 and its consolidated case 269/Federal/2023, dated February 21, 2024. That ruling obliges both the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to ensure regular salary payments to all public sector employees, retirees, and social welfare recipients in the Region. It explicitly states that disputes over oil and non-oil revenues between Baghdad and Erbil must not be used as a pretext to withhold constitutionally protected monthly salaries. 'A decision on the request to issue an injunction order will be made as soon as possible,' the court concluded. The lawsuit comes as tensions have been simmering between Baghdad and Erbil after the Iraqi finance ministry on Wednesday announced that the federal government would suspend all budget transfers to the Kurdistan Region, including salaries for over one million civil servants. In a letter she sent to the KRG, Iraqi Finance Minister Taif Sami claimed that Erbil had exceeded its 12.67 percent budget allocation for 2025 by 13.547 trillion Iraqi dinars (approximately $10.34 billion). She argued that, under rulings from the Federal Supreme Court, further payments to the KRG under such circumstances are legally prohibited. The KRG's Finance Ministry responded on Thursday, accusing the federal ministry of violating the constitution. It added that the Kurdistan Region's share of funds 'must be based on collected federal revenues, not actual expenditures.' Baghdad's move has drawn strong criticism from Kurdish political factions, who held a meeting on Saturday, chaired by the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), and denounced the funding suspension as a politically motivated action that undermines the constitutional and legal status of the Kurdistan Region. The parties said Baghdad must not politicize the rights of civil servants and said that they favored resolving the matter through dialogue. Speaking to Rudaw on Saturday, senior KDP official Hoshyar Zebari questioned the timing of this decision. 'What is the interest of Mr. [Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia'] al-Sudani and the ruling [Shiite-led] Coordination Framework in igniting the crisis of funding salaries for regional employees at this particular time, while the country is approaching national elections?' Zebari asked, adding that 'perhaps these are technical issues at play,' Zebari stressed. Finances are a frequent source of friction between Erbil and Baghdad. In stopping the payments, Baghdad accused Erbil of failing to hand over its oil and non-oil revenues and claimed that the KRG had received its full share of the federal budget for 2025. The KDP said on Thursday that it would take a 'serious stance' if Baghdad fails to pay the May salaries by June 6, which coincides with the Islamic holiday Eid al-Adha. The finance ministry's decision to cease payments to Erbil came on the heels of the KRG inking two new oil and gas deals with American firms, drawing the ire of Iraq's oil ministry, which has taken legal action. A delegation from Baghdad is expected to visit Erbil and meet with top Kurdish officials and politicians to resolve the financial issues.
Rudaw Net
4 days ago
- Health
- Rudaw Net
Tragic death of army cadets sparks national outcry in Iraq
Also in Iraq Coordination Framework delegation to visit Erbil amid Baghdad-KRG strain Kurdistan workers urge Iraq's top court to order salary release from Baghdad Iraq transfers military college cadets to Baghdad after tragic deaths Iraqi leaders receive Lebanese president for talks on bilateral ties, security A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani has ordered an investigation into the deaths of two Iraqi army cadets and the illness of many others at a military college in the southern Dhi Qar province. Parliament has also called for accountability in the incident that saw 'over 100 cadets' suffer from extreme exhaustion due to high temperatures and intense physical exertion The Premier's Spokesperson Sabah al-Numan on Wednesday stated that Sudani 'directed the formation of an investigative council to identify those responsible and take legal action, following the deaths of two cadets from the Fourth Military College in Dhi Qar Province and the illness of other cadets.' Sudani further dismissed the head of the military academy, his deputy, and the commanding officer of the regiment whose cadets were affected, Numan said. The Prime Minister also instructed that 'the rank of Second Lieutenant be posthumously awarded to the two deceased cadets,' making their families eligible for compensation granted to fallen soldiers. Earlier in the day, the Iraqi defense ministry stated that the cadets had joined the Fourth Military College in Dhi Qar's provincial capital Nasiriyah on Sunday. During the reception process, 'nine cadets began showing signs of dehydration and health complications' due to prolonged sun exposure, the ministry noted, adding that 'they were immediately transported to Nasiriyah Hospital by the military college's medical team.' Initially, the ministry confirmed that one cadet succumbed to health complications, while six others recovered and are set to be discharged and two cadets remain under medical observation. Later, the Iraqi parliament's Security and Defense Committee stated that the death toll had risen to two, noting that it had formed a 'follow-up team' to investigate the incident thoroughly and 'ensure the safety of the cadets and improve their training conditions.' Importantly, the Committee noted that 'more than a 100 cadets' had 'suffered fainting and severe exhaustion' during the reception process and emphasized that it is 'closely monitoring the health status of the affected cadets to prevent future occurrences.
Rudaw Net
4 days ago
- Business
- Rudaw Net
Baghdad decision not to send salaries 'political': Senior KDP official
Also in Iraq Coordination Framework delegation to visit Erbil amid Baghdad-KRG strain Kurdistan workers urge Iraq's top court to order salary release from Baghdad Iraq transfers military college cadets to Baghdad after tragic deaths Iraqi leaders receive Lebanese president for talks on bilateral ties, security A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Senior Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) official Hoshyar Zebari on Saturday labeled Baghdad's halt of salary payments to the Kurdistan Region's civil servants as a 'political and programmed' decision. 'The decision from the Ministry of Finance is a political and programmed decision against the [Kurdistan] Region and its constitution in general, and it will undoubtedly have repercussions,' Zebari said on X. Tensions between Baghdad and Erbil escalated after the Iraqi finance ministry on Wednesday announced that it would no longer send the Kurdistan Region's financial entitlements from the federal budget, including the salaries of over one million civil servants of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). The decision triggered an outcry from many Kurdish political parties, who held a meeting on Saturday, chaired by the KDP, and denounced Baghdad's decision to halt payments to the Region as 'against the will of the people of Kurdistan and the political and legal framework of the Kurdistan Region.' The parties said Baghdad must not politicize the rights of civil servants and said that they favoured resolving the matter through dialogue. 'What is the interest of Mr. [Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia'] al-Sudani and the ruling Coordination Framework in igniting the crisis of funding salaries for regional employees at this particular time, while the country is approaching national elections? Perhaps these are technical issues at play,' Zebari stressed. Finances are a frequent source of friction between Erbil and Baghdad. In stopping the payments, Baghdad accused Erbil of failing to hand over its oil and non-oil revenues and claimed that the KRG had received its full share of the federal budget for 2025. The KDP said on Thursday that it would take a 'serious stance' if Baghdad fails to pay the May salaries by June 6, which coincides with the Islamic holiday Eid al-Adha. The finance ministry's decision to cease payments to Erbil came on the heels of the KRG inking two new oil and gas deals with American firms, drawing the ire of Iraq's oil ministry, which has taken legal action. A delegation from Baghdad is expected to visit Erbil and meet with top Kurdish officials and politicians to resolve the financial issues.
Rudaw Net
4 days ago
- Health
- Rudaw Net
Iraq transfers military college cadets to Baghdad after tragic deaths
Also in Iraq Coordination Framework delegation to visit Erbil amid Baghdad-KRG strain Kurdistan workers urge Iraq's top court to order salary release from Baghdad Iraqi leaders receive Lebanese president for talks on bilateral ties, security Baghdad decision not to send salaries 'political': Senior KDP official A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Iraqi army on Sunday transferred cadets from a military college in the southern Dhi Qar province to Baghdad for redistribution after extreme exhaustion and high temperatures in May led to the deaths of two cadets and the injuries of many others, state media reported. At least 100 students from the Fourth Military College in Dhi Qar province suffered health complications in late May due to high temperatures and extreme physical exhaustion during a training session, which led to the deaths of two cadets and sent the injured to the hospital. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani quickly acted by dismissing the head of the military academy, Nasser Ghannam, along with his deputy and the commanding officer of the regiment whose cadets were affected. The Iraqi army on Sunday 'began transporting students from the Fourth Military College, from the college headquarters in Dhi Qar province to the capital Baghdad, and 15 buses were allocated for this purpose,' state media said. 'This measure comes as part of a plan to redistribute the students among military colleges in Taji, Duhok, and Sulaimani, according to the geographical area and in line with the training and organizational requirements of the military institution,' it added. After their deaths, Sudani also instructed the rank of Second Lieutenant to be posthumously awarded to the fallen cadets, making their families eligible for compensation. During the reception process on May 21, 'nine cadets began showing signs of dehydration and health complications' due to prolonged sun exposure, the Iraqi defense ministry noted, adding that 'they were immediately transported to Nasiriyah Hospital by the military college's medical team.' The Iraqi parliament's security and defense committee later said that more than 100 cadets had suffered fainting and severe exhaustion, and announced the formation of a follow-up team to investigate the incident.
