The building of the Iraqi Supreme Judicial council. Photo: the court's media office
March date pencilled
Iraqi federal court postpones hearing on KRG promotion freeze
Erbil — The Iraqi Federal Supreme Court has postponed a session scheduled to resolve a dispute over the suspension of promotions for public employees in the Kurdistan Region to March 17, 2024. This delay, requested by the legal team representing the Kurdistan Regional Government, extends the court’s review period by 20 days.
Dilshad Mirani, a teacher and one of the plaintiffs in the case, told 964media that the KRG’s attorneys sought the postponement during today’s court session. Mirani views this development as an opportunity for the KRG to proactively address the promotion issue before the court reaches a definitive verdict.
Mirani indicated that should the KRG independently resolve the promotion dilemma, it would not be under pressure or obligation. He cautioned, however, that should the court find the suspension of promotions unconstitutional, it possesses the power to invalidate the freeze.
Earlier, a group of nine plaintiffs aiming to reverse the cessation of public employee promotions in the Kurdistan Region released a video, voicing their optimism for a favorable ruling from the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court.
The Kurdistan Regional Government has halted promotions for civil servants since 2015, citing a financial crisis prompted by Baghdad’s discontinuation of budget payments to the region, a conflict that has persisted for a decade.
The Kurdistan Region’s public sector payroll is famously bloated, forming an overwhelming proportion of government expenditure.
This legal challenge is part of a broader context of recent decisions by the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court concerning the administrative and electoral framework of the Kurdistan Region. This includes a verdict last Wednesday that reorganized the region into four electoral districts and decreased the parliamentary seat count to 100.
Federal court shelves session on Kurdistan election law
Another delay in Federal Court hearings on Kurdistan issues
