Iraqi finance ministry denies claims of salary cuts for security forces

BAGHDAD — The Iraqi Ministry of Finance on Monday rejected reports that Minister Taif Sami had called for reducing the salaries of army and police personnel or had blocked the approval of a new salary scale law.

In a statement, the ministry said, “What was published as statements attributed to the finance minister regarding the salary scale law is not true. No statement was issued by her claiming that the reason for not passing the law is the high salaries of army and police personnel, nor that she called for their reduction.”

The ministry dismissed the circulating claims as false and warned that “any fabricated statements or rumors intended to distort financial and accounting policies will be subject to legal action.” It also urged institutions and individuals to “avoid circulating unverified information.”

Earlier Monday, social media posts spread a statement attributed to Sami, alleging she had said, “The reason for not implementing the salary scale and securing funds for it is the salaries of the army, police, and Popular Mobilization Forces. Because of them, there is a budget deficit, and their salaries should be reduced from 1.6 million dinars ($1,080) to 1 million dinars ($675) so we can implement the new salary scale.”