Senior Kurdish officials gathered in Erbil to form a united stance on the ongoing salary crisis. With President Barzani’s presence, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) began a strategic dialogue.
The leadership teams met at a high-level session to discuss delayed public salary payments. Barzani led the KDP delegation, while PUK President Bafel Talabani headed his party’s bloc. Both leaders emphasized Kurdish unity as critical in negotiations with Baghdad.
During the meeting, Kurdish officials agreed that forming a shared position would increase pressure on the federal government. They focused heavily on the frozen salaries of public employees. The delay has affected more than 1.2 million workers in the Kurdistan Region.
Barzani reiterated that the Region had given Baghdad a final opportunity to resolve the issue through dialogue. He also stressed that mutual understanding remains the best solution for all disputes.
Additionally, both parties discussed legal actions under way. Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court recently postponed a lawsuit related to unpaid salaries. The case now awaits a new hearing date. This lawsuit seeks to compel Baghdad to release funds frozen since May.
The crisis escalated after the federal Finance Ministry cut transfers to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). The ministry cited overspending and noncompliance with budget rules, including the failure to transfer oil through federal pipelines.
Since that decision, Baghdad has conditioned salary disbursement on strict requirements. These include audited financial records and complete cooperation on oil exports. The KRG has struggled to meet these demands due to financial limitations and ongoing political friction.
Widespread protests and strikes have continued across the Region. Civil servants, educators, and healthcare workers have taken to the streets. They have demanded fast solutions and uninterrupted salary payments.
Kurdish leaders emphasized that they will not accept further delays. They also warned that the situation could grow worse without immediate federal intervention. Both KDP and PUK now plan to maintain close coordination until Baghdad responds to their demands.
As Kurdish leaders push united salary crisis response strategies, they hope their cooperation will help ease tensions and bring practical outcomes.