Earlier this month, Barzani announced the brokering of a deal, where Baghdad would send $137 million per month, backdated to January.

In recent days, some lawmakers have objected to the government approving the transfers saying that they are not covered by the 2021 Federal Budget Law and, therefore, the government has no authority to make the allocation.

Kadhimi countered by saying that the funds will be used to pay the KRG’s public servants, which is covered by the budget, adding that they cannot go unpaid.

He argued that it was not a separate allocation, but an advance that will be deducted later from the Region’s share, which will be monitored by the financial supervision court.

“The Kurdish nation is our nation,” he said, striking a note of unity.

During his TV spot, Kadhimi warned that there are attempts underway to prevent the transfer.

“The statements against sending the money have political goals and are for election campaigns.”

During 2020, the KRG struggled to pay salaries to its public sector workers, missing five monthly disbursements entirely and cutting four others by nearly a quarter.

Government employees have had their pay cut by twenty-one percent each month so far this year, including the most recent disbursement.

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