Iraq
From Left: Raheem al-Aboudy and Wael al-Rukabi speaking to Rudaw on April 7, 2024. Photo: Rudaw/screengrab
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Members of the Shiite Coordination Framework on Sunday stressed that the presence of Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani in the Iraqi capital facilitates resolving the outstanding issues between Erbil and Baghdad.
President Barzani arrived in Baghdad on Saturday afternoon for meetings with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani and Iraqi political and government leaders, including leaders of the ruling Shiite-led State Administration Coalition.
“The presence of Nechirvan Barzani in the State Administration meeting has an important particularity, and he enjoys great acceptance and respect by all members of the State Administration Coalition, especially the Coordination Framework, given his ability to engage in dialogue and negotiation,” Wael al-Rukabi, member of the State of Law coalition, told Rudaw’s Nwenar Fatih.
Rukabi added that Barzani’s visit to Baghdad affirms his desire to find a solution for the outstanding issues between Erbil and Baghdad, noting that the inclusion of the Kurdistan Region president in the meeting also confirms the federal government’s willingness to work towards resolving the problems in accordance with the constitution.
“I have heard it directly from more than one leader in the Coordination Framework that Nechirvan Barzani cannot leave Baghdad if he has not reached a real solution that satisfies all parties, away from constitutional and legal violation.”
Paying Kurdistan Region’s civil servant salaries and restarting oil exports are among the main issues currently occupying Erbil and Baghdad and have also been at the top of President Barzani’s agenda during his visit to the Iraqi capital, in addition to the upcoming parliamentary elections.
“Whenever there is a dialogue table and the presence of Nechirvan Barzani, the solution will be smooth and satisfactory for all parties, to maintain stability in order to advance political agreements,” said Raheem al-Aboudy, a member of the Wisdom Movement.
Both politicians agreed that the salaries of the Kurdistan Region civil servants must be provided, stressing that it is the duty of the Iraqi federal government to provide the Region’s financial entitlements.
Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court in February ordered the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to submit a breakdown of the monthly budget for its payroll to the finance ministry so Baghdad could start paying the Region’s share from the federal budget.
"A Kurdistan Region employee is an Iraqi employee and therefore has a monthly entitlement, so no one can deprive this employee of this right… In the Kurdistan region, they have rights like other Iraqis in the rest of the provinces, and they have obligations towards the Iraqi government like the rest of the provinces,” said Rukabi.
In a press conference following his meeting with President Barzani, Sudani stressed that Baghdad is keen to continue financing the Kurdistan Region’s payroll in a way that does not contradict the ruling of the Federal Supreme Court, urging cooperation and flexibility from Erbil.
“Distributing wealth fairly is important, and there must be justice, as stated in the decisions of the Federal Supreme Court, and the salaries of Kurdistan Region employees must be localized and treated equally as the salaries of employees of the rest of the Iraqi provinces,” said Aboudy.
The Kurdistan Region finance ministry on Sunday announced that Baghdad has deposited the final installment into the Kurdistan Region’s account for March salaries.
The Region’s civil servants went unpaid for over 60 days after receiving their January salaries.
President Barzani arrived in Baghdad on Saturday afternoon for meetings with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani and Iraqi political and government leaders, including leaders of the ruling Shiite-led State Administration Coalition.
“The presence of Nechirvan Barzani in the State Administration meeting has an important particularity, and he enjoys great acceptance and respect by all members of the State Administration Coalition, especially the Coordination Framework, given his ability to engage in dialogue and negotiation,” Wael al-Rukabi, member of the State of Law coalition, told Rudaw’s Nwenar Fatih.
Rukabi added that Barzani’s visit to Baghdad affirms his desire to find a solution for the outstanding issues between Erbil and Baghdad, noting that the inclusion of the Kurdistan Region president in the meeting also confirms the federal government’s willingness to work towards resolving the problems in accordance with the constitution.
“I have heard it directly from more than one leader in the Coordination Framework that Nechirvan Barzani cannot leave Baghdad if he has not reached a real solution that satisfies all parties, away from constitutional and legal violation.”
Paying Kurdistan Region’s civil servant salaries and restarting oil exports are among the main issues currently occupying Erbil and Baghdad and have also been at the top of President Barzani’s agenda during his visit to the Iraqi capital, in addition to the upcoming parliamentary elections.
“Whenever there is a dialogue table and the presence of Nechirvan Barzani, the solution will be smooth and satisfactory for all parties, to maintain stability in order to advance political agreements,” said Raheem al-Aboudy, a member of the Wisdom Movement.
Both politicians agreed that the salaries of the Kurdistan Region civil servants must be provided, stressing that it is the duty of the Iraqi federal government to provide the Region’s financial entitlements.
Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court in February ordered the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to submit a breakdown of the monthly budget for its payroll to the finance ministry so Baghdad could start paying the Region’s share from the federal budget.
"A Kurdistan Region employee is an Iraqi employee and therefore has a monthly entitlement, so no one can deprive this employee of this right… In the Kurdistan region, they have rights like other Iraqis in the rest of the provinces, and they have obligations towards the Iraqi government like the rest of the provinces,” said Rukabi.
In a press conference following his meeting with President Barzani, Sudani stressed that Baghdad is keen to continue financing the Kurdistan Region’s payroll in a way that does not contradict the ruling of the Federal Supreme Court, urging cooperation and flexibility from Erbil.
“Distributing wealth fairly is important, and there must be justice, as stated in the decisions of the Federal Supreme Court, and the salaries of Kurdistan Region employees must be localized and treated equally as the salaries of employees of the rest of the Iraqi provinces,” said Aboudy.
The Kurdistan Region finance ministry on Sunday announced that Baghdad has deposited the final installment into the Kurdistan Region’s account for March salaries.
The Region’s civil servants went unpaid for over 60 days after receiving their January salaries.
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