Speaking at a public gathering in the city of Duhok, Barzani said the salary issue has been “exploited by internal and external parties” as a means to pressure the region and weaken its institutions. “The salaries of the people of Kurdistan have become a political issue,” he said, adding that some internal actors “have contributed to facilitating this.”

Barzani expressed deep appreciation for the families of martyrs and for Kurdish women’s role in the struggle for liberation. “We bow to no one except God, but we bow in reverence to the mothers and families of the martyrs,” he said.

The veteran Kurdish leader warned of what he described as “plots targeting the Kurdistan Region,” claiming that current threats are “more dangerous than before,” including attempts to erode the younger generation’s sense of belonging through “addiction and despair.” He urged mothers to raise their children “with awareness and responsibility” to confront these challenges.

Barzani concluded by reaffirming his party’s commitment to the Kurdish cause, saying the KDP “was founded to restore hope to the Kurdish people in their darkest times” and would continue to “defend the rights and achievements of the Kurdistan Region.”