KRG Council of Ministers Convenes to Address Erbil-Baghdad Talks on Budget and Oil Resumption
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Council of Ministers is set to convene today to discuss critical issues, including the ongoing talks between Erbil and Baghdad concerning the budget and the resumption of oil exports. The weekly session, chaired by Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, will delve into key matters that hold significance for the region's economic stability.
A statement from the government outlined that the agenda includes deliberations on the KRG's negotiations with the Iraqi federal government regarding the resumption of oil exports, civil servants' salaries, and the overall budget. This comes as the region faces challenges, with the Kurdistan Region's oil export through Turkey's Ceyhan port being halted since March 25, following Baghdad's request in the aftermath of a legal dispute with Turkey.
The absence of the Kurdish share from the federal budget has prompted the Iraqi government to release payments to Erbil as loans, allowing the KRG to meet its financial obligations, especially in paying civil servants. However, KRG diplomats have raised concerns, alleging that the budget has not been implemented properly by the government in Baghdad. Instead of disbursing the Kurdish share, they claim that allowances have been provided to Erbil to cover public salaries. The KRG has emphasized that the 500 billion dinars (over $384 million) received from Baghdad so far are insufficient to cover the salaries adequately.
Furthermore, the Council of Ministers will be briefed on the outcomes of the mid-January visit of the KRG delegation, led by Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, to Davos, Switzerland, where they participated in the World Economic Forum.
The meeting today is crucial as it addresses pressing economic concerns, striving to find solutions to the ongoing challenges in the relationship between the Kurdistan Region and the federal government in Baghdad. The outcome of these discussions will likely have significant implications for the region's financial stability and diplomatic relations.
