Masrour Barzani: We Will Not Compromise on the Dignity and Rights of Our People

ARK News.. Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani reaffirmed on Saturday that the Region will not compromise on the dignity and constitutional rights of its people, amid ongoing financial disputes with Baghdad. His comments came during a speech at the inauguration of a rapid water supply project in Erbil.

Barzani revealed new complications in the implementation of a financial agreement signed between Erbil and Baghdad, stating: “After signing the agreement, a new clause was added stipulating that if the full number of barrels is not delivered daily, salaries will not be transferred.” He noted that this is happening even as drone attacks target oil fields, reducing production and forcing companies to dismiss workers. “How are we expected to deliver the required amount?” he asked.

Barzani detailed the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) adherence to its constitutional commitments, yet said the Kurdish people are being collectively punished through the withholding of salaries.

“We are a federal entity,” he stressed. “The Kurdistan Region has the right to a dedicated budget managed by its own executive, legislative, and oversight institutions, with decisions made by its people on how those funds are spent. Unfortunately, some internal actors worked to involve Baghdad in the salary and budget file.”

He criticized the argument that handing over the salary portfolio to Baghdad would eliminate unemployment and ensure timely payments with increases. “The opposite happened,” he said.

Barzani noted that a joint delegation from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) had visited Baghdad and agreed to the following terms proposed by the federal government:

The daily delivery of 230,000 barrels of oil to be marketed via the state-owned company SOMO.

A monthly transfer of 120 billion Iraqi dinars in non-oil revenues.

Implementation of a joint pension system, which has already been partially in place for years and currently includes over 900,000 citizens in the Kurdistan Region.

Despite fulfilling these obligations, Barzani said Baghdad introduced the new condition about full oil delivery. “Meanwhile, oil fields are under attack by drones, production is falling, and companies are laying off staff. We told them: come and inspect the sites yourselves. A federal delegation visited the fields and reported that attacks have reduced production. Still, the salaries were not sent,” he said.

Barzani emphasized that the Region is ready to export all surplus oil after meeting local fuel and electricity needs, but rejected what he called the politicization of security conditions as an excuse to deny people their basic rights.

He went on to highlight what he described as systemic discrimination against the Kurdistan Region:

Over the past few years, 3.5 million people have been employed across Iraq—none from the Kurdistan Region.

Of 7 million beneficiaries under Iraq’s social welfare programs, only 72,000 are from Kurdistan—barely 1%.

Iraq has taken out $50 billion in loans for development projects, none of which have been allocated to the Kurdistan Region, even though the Region is expected to help repay the debt.

A government plan to build 2,000 schools and 150 hospitals in Iraq excluded the Kurdistan Region entirely.

“They want us to have no local revenues, to do nothing for ourselves, and receive nothing in return. How is that possible?” Barzani asked.

He affirmed that the KRG has fulfilled its constitutional duties—and more—and is willing to continue doing so, but not at the cost of surrendering its people’s rights.

“In the name of the people of Kurdistan,” Barzani concluded, “I declare that we are ready to share our technical and administrative expertise with other Iraqi provinces if they wish to replicate our successful service projects. But we will never bargain over the dignity and rights of our people.”

Masrour Barzani, Kurdistan Region, Baghdad-Erbil Agreement, Oil and Salaries, Drone Attacks, Federal Budget, Iraq

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