Baghdad owes the Kurdistan region $19.5 billion

by **Ponee** Thu Nov 07, 2013 8:54 am

Baghdad owes the Kurdistan region $19.5 billion

6.11.2013

November 6, 2013

ERBIL-Hewlêr, Kurdistan region 'Iraq',— The Iraqi Federal Government owes the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) 27 trillion ID, (approximately $19.5 billion); while the KRG has sent $1 million to Baghdad, a Kurdish official says.

Rasheed Tahir, the KRG Deputy Minister of Finance, told Basnews that the federal government has yet to pay the Kurdistan region its share of the Iraqi budget, which includes the sovereign and governance expenses and Kurdish national forces’ (Peshmerga) budget, amongst other sectors.

Tahir insists that KRG leaders should be more forceful in their attempt to receive money from Baghdad. It is the Kurdistan Region’s right, he said.

“We have already discussed the issue with the Kurdish representatives, in an attempt to work on the issue in a more intensive way,” he added.

“We have already sent an official letter to the Iraqi government, asking for unpaid expenses between 2004 and 2012 to be paid back to the KRG,” the official said.

According to Tahir, Baghdad has accused the KRG of not sending oil revenues to Baghdad, but “we have sent $1 million in revenues,” he said.

Tahir said that the KRG received the 2008 complementary budget, but that the Iraqi government has not paid since.

Najiba Najib, a Kurdish MP in the Iraqi Parliament, said that they have tried to get Kurdistan’s financial rights back.

Disagreements between Baghdad and Erbil over oil revenues and budget are on-going and appear to be worsening.

According to the Iraqi constitution, the Iraqi government should send 17% to the Kurdistan Region,www.Ekurd.net but Kurdish officials have often said that Baghdad only sends 10-11%.

By Shwan Barzinji. Published by Ekurd.net in cooperation with Basnews.

http://www.ekurd.net/mismas/articles/misc2013/11/state7469.htm