ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq’s ruling State Administration Coalition held a regular meeting in Baghdad on Sunday, attended by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, where they discussed key issues, including the unresolved salary payments to Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) civil servants.
“It [the coalition] stressed that there is no political stance regarding the issue of salaries for employees in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, aside from technical matters that can be resolved through dialogue and understanding, avoiding media escalation,” read a statement from Sudani’s office.
The meeting at the Government Palace brought together coalition members, including Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Bafel Talabani, and other key figures, to evaluate the government’s performance and discuss priorities for the final year of the current parliamentary and governmental term.
“This year marks the final year of the current parliamentary and governmental term, requiring all political forces to fulfill the commitments outlined in the government program to ensure stability and progress across economic, developmental, and security sectors,” added the statement.
The coalition is made up of political parties that have supported the current Iraqi cabinet, including the ruling political parties of the Kurdistan Region.
“President Barzani, while stressing the legal and constitutional rights of the Kurdistan Region, praised the role of Prime Minister al-Sudani, who has worked for an understanding between Erbil and Baghdad over the past year,” read a statement from President Barzani’s office.
The statement added that Sudani and Barzani are scheduled to hold a meeting on Monday.
The meeting takes place at a time when the ongoing disputes between Erbil and Baghdad over the Kurdish region's share in the federal budget remain unresolved.
Baghdad has not yet paid the December salaries of Kurdistan Region’s civil servants, and it remains unclear whether the payment will be made.