On Saturday, May 31, 43 Kurdistani political parties and factions, including the ruling Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and Kurdistan Democratic Party, held a joint meeting to discuss the political situation in Kurdistan and Iraq, including the decision by the federal Ministry of Finance to halt and withhold the salaries of public employees in the Kurdistan Region.

“All parties agreed that this decision is a political one and goes against the will of the people of Kurdistan as well as the political and legal framework of the Kurdistan Region,” the parties said in a joint statement.

The parties added that, according to the permanent constitution of Iraq, the ruling of the Federal Supreme Court, the Law of Iraqi Civil Servants and Public Employees, and previous agreements between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the federal government, the federal government is obligated to uphold its duties and commitments toward the people of the Kurdistan Region.

“The rights of the region’s public servants should not be entangled in political disputes. Furthermore, the federal government must abandon its policy of pressure and deprivation against the Kurdistan Region, as such a policy only deepens the existing crises and disregards the region’s rapid and significant developments – ultimately harming the collective interests of all sides.

“We stress that dialogue and negotiation are the best paths toward resolving this stage’s challenges. At the same time, we view all available options as open to us in the pursuit of safeguarding the Kurdistan Region’s higher interests.”