SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Tension broke out in the Kurdistan parliament on Monday after a number of lawmakers called for a session on the issue of employees’ salaries, which have been delayed for two months.
The Kurdistan Parliament held a session to finish the first readings of education in the Kurdistan Region bill and an amended bill on private universities in the Region.
The parliament was also scheduled to discuss migration of the Region’s youths to European countries due to economic crisis, political situation, injustice, and corruption.
On Sunday, as many as 37 lawmakers asked the parliament’s presidency in a formal letter to add the issue of salaries of the public servants to a parliament’s session.
The lawmakers repeated their request and an argument erupted during Monday’s session, pushing the speaker to suspend the session temporary.
“We asked the parliament to add a term for today’s session regarding the issue of employees’ salaries and the Region’s budget in order to know why the government does not hand over oil and revenues,” lawmaker Sarchnar Ahmed told Esta Media Network.
“The parliament is busy with minor issues. This issue is important. But the parliament’s presidency does not take it to account,” the lawmaker said.
Lawmaker Ali Hama Salih told reporters that they would work to suspend parliament’s sessions until the legislation discusses the livelihood of people.
“We have to tell them inside the parliament that such official is working on smuggling,” the lawmaker noted.
“If we don’t reach an agreement with Baghdad, corruption and stealing will be double,” he added.
Head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan bloc Zyad Jabar said during a press conference that the faction believes a parliament’s session should be dedicated to the issue of salary delays.
