Senior KDP leader accuses Iraqi PM of violating budget agreements with Erbil
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A senior leader of the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) accused Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani of violating agreements his government signed with the Kurdistan Region to resolve the budget quagmire.
"Their civil servants have already received November salaries, but ours have not yet been paid their September salaries. Who is to blame? Taif Sami [Iraq's finance minister] Of course not her. She is just a minister," head of KDP Political Bureau's Executive Committee, Fazel Mirani told Rudaw's Sangar Abdulrahman on Wednesday, adding Sami is just "a member of the Iraqi Council of Ministers who executes orders."
Mirani accused Sudani of not implementing budget agreements between Baghdad and Erbil. "What they are now doing in Baghdad is not aligned with federalism" and "contrary to the constitution."
Tensions between Erbil and Baghdad escalated in late May when the federal finance ministry halted budget transfers, accusing the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) of exceeding its 12.67 percent share and failing to fulfill oil export commitments. The suspension disrupted salaries for more than 1.2 million public employees in the Region.
After two months wrangling, Erbil and Baghdad in July reached a deal under which the KRG agreed to export all its oil - about 230,000 barrels per day - through Iraq's State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) in exchange for the release of long-delayed public sector salaries. Oil exports from the Kurdistan Region resumed in late September.
As part of the two sides' agreement to resolve financial disputes once and for all, Baghdad also demanded the KRG transfer 120 billion Iraqi dinars (approximately $90-92 million) in monthly non-oil revenues in exchange for the release of KRG public sector salaries.
Despite Erbil's compliance, Baghdad has yet to release the salaries of September, October, and November to employees on the KRG's payroll.
"In my view, we have had a bad experience with every Iraqi prime minister," Mirani said. "We had good experiences with them only when we voted for them to become prime minister."
KDP-PUK government formation talks
The Kurdistan Region held its long-delayed parliamentary election over a year ago, in October 2024. The KDP won 39 of the 100 seats in parliament, followed by the PUK with 23. As has traditionally been the case, the two parties are working toward forming a coalition government.
After numerous meetings, the KDP says they have accepted 80 percent of the demands presented by the PUK.
However, the biggest issue impending the government formation is the post of the interior minister which the PUK wants, but the KDP refuses to give up
"We have been negotiating for a year and we have taken a lot of steps, but there is one thing in politics. Understanding is one thing and imposing [will] is another. One party should not try to twist the other party's arms," he said.
Asked why the KDP does not agree to give PUK the interior ministry post, he replied: "We have decided and it is our right. How many seats do we have? How many seats do the PUK comrades have? Although we have not dealt with the PUK on the basis of seats, we cannot deal with each other on the basis of seats."
Mirani said, however, there are many other options on the table they could pick including the ministries of Peshmerga, finance, agriculture, higher education, and industry.
He said the PUK and KDP 'must put the internets" of the nation before any other interests and put the Kurdish house in order for a stronger unity against outside threats.
"I say we must protect the interests of our achievements," Mirani said, adding the two ruling Kurdish parties "carry most of the responsibilities in the Kurdistan Region."
"We must put the interests of our nation above our party interests. This is all I say," he said.
[Source: Rûdaw English]
