ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Deputy Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament, Dr. Shakhawan Abdullah, has launched a scathing critique of the federal government, accusing it of intentionally delaying salary payments to the Kurdistan Region’s public sector employees and taking pleasure in their hardship.

His remarks on Sunday came as the first installment of the long-overdue June salaries was finally transferred, highlighting a persistent issue that Kurdish leaders have repeatedly condemned as a political tool and a violation of constitutional rights.

During a visit to farmers in a village in Kirkuk, Abdullah addressed the salary crisis in a press statement. He lambasted the federal government for its handling of the June payment, arguing the decision to disburse funds was needlessly postponed.

"The decision to disburse the salaries for the month of June could have been made 20 days or a month earlier, because nothing has changed," he stated, suggesting the delay was a deliberate act.

He then delivered his sharpest accusation: "Unfortunately, the Iraqi government enjoys tormenting our employees and takes pleasure in delaying the payment of their salaries."

Abdullah noted that the mechanism for paying July and subsequent months would likely remain the same, dependent on decisions from the Council of Ministers.

Salaries Finally Disbursed Amid Ongoing Tensions

His comments coincided with the first financial movement on the issue. A Kurdistan24 correspondent in Baghdad confirmed that the Iraqi Ministry of Finance deposited 690 billion dinars—the first installment for June—into the account of the KRG’s Ministry of Finance at the Central Bank of Iraq's Erbil branch.

A second installment was expected later that day, after which the KRG would publish its official salary distribution list.

Farmers' Land Rights Highlight Parallel Struggle

Abdullah’s visit to Palkana village was also a direct response to ongoing legal harassment faced by Kurdish farmers in the Kirkuk region. He assured them of his support in their fight to protect their ancestral lands from being seized by Arab settlers using defunct Ba'ath-era contracts.

"This is not the first time that problems have been created for the Kurdish farmers... and we have resolved them. We will also continue to solve the problems they face," Abdullah told Kurdistan24.

He referenced a recent decision by the Iraqi Council of Ministers, stating, "Until the decision is enacted, we will continue to support them so that their rights are not lost."

A Chronic Political Dispute

The salary delays are a chronic issue at the heart of the fraught relationship between Erbil and Baghdad. KRG officials have long maintained that the federal government weaponizes the livelihoods of the Kurdistan Region’s people.

In a recent interview, KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani stated, “It is deeply regrettable that the livelihoods of our people are used as leverage in political disputes.” KRG Interior Minister Rebar Ahmed has described the policy as a form of "collective punishment."

The issue has drawn international attention, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly urging Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in a late July call to ensure consistent salary payments.

The disputes are rooted in complex disagreements over budget allocations, revenue sharing, and the management of oil and gas resources. Since 2003, successive Iraqi governments have failed to fully implement constitutional articles guaranteeing the Kurdistan Region’s financial rights.