Deputy Prime Minister Talabani meets with government delegation for federal budget affairs, urges continued efforts to secure region’s fair share

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq (GOV.KRD) – Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani on Sunday met with the government’s delegation for federal budget affairs in Erbil, to discuss the latest developments concerning the region’s share of the budget.

The Deputy Prime Minister stressed that the priority of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is to protect the public from the coronavirus pandemic and ensure government employees receive their salaries on time. He said ongoing discussions with Baghdad on the region's share of the federal budget will continue.

In the meeting, the KRG delegation for federal budget affairs briefed the Deputy Prime Minister on the outcome of their recent visit to Baghdad, as well as the current economic conditions in Iraq.

They said Iraqi oil revenues have shrunk substantially, causing a financial deficit. The delegation also warned there is political pressure in Baghdad to ignore previous agreements between the KRG and the federal government on the budget due to the deficit.

Deputy Prime Minister Talabani said the KRG will neutralize political efforts aiming to compromise the Kurdistan Region’s financial entitlements.

He added that the KRG will contact different factions in the Kurdistan Regional Parliament and Kurdish parliamentary blocs in the Iraqi parliament, as well as other Iraqi parliamentary factions in Baghdad.

The Deputy Prime Minister said these economic challenges and financial difficulties should be explained to the people of Kurdistan in a transparent manner.

The delegation is due to meet with the speaker and blocs from the Kurdistan Region Parliament today.