Sulaymaniyah governor cancels Eid ceremonies in protest over salary freeze

SULAYMANIYAH — Governor Haval Abubaker on Thursday announced the cancellation of all official Eid Al-Adha ceremonies in Sulaymaniyah in protest of what he described as “authoritative [sic] governance,” saying the people of Kurdistan are being “held hostage” by both the Kurdistan Regional Government and Iraq’s federal authorities.

The statement comes amid growing public frustration over the Iraqi Ministry of Finance’s recent decision to suspend salary payments to public sector employees in the Kurdistan Region. The delay has extended into June, with Eid Al-Adha set to begin Friday, further compounding economic hardship for households during a holiday marked by high spending.

Abubaker said the people of Kurdistan are “enduring captivity,” and cited the Islamic principle that “the crime of cutting off sustenance is greater than slaughter.”

“On this occasion of Eid … we only respectfully honor our shared religious duties, rituals and traditions of our society,” he said, while offering prayers for an accepted pilgrimage and strength for the public. He called for “perseverance and collaboration to overcome the peak of irresponsibility and the tide of oppression.”

He emphasized that all local government institutions “remain at the service of the people,” but said no formal Eid events would be held.

“In protest against the authoritative governance and the authoritative state—which claim the rights of citizens, faiths, and coexistence—we will not hold any official Eid ceremonies,” he said.

Kurdistan Region employees have not yet received their May salaries, despite the new month having begun and the holiday approaching.

Tensions between Erbil and Baghdad escalated last week after the federal finance ministry in Baghdad ordered a halt to salary transfers to the KRG, citing a lack of verified revenue data and budgetary overspending — accusations the KRG has rejected.

The Iraqi parliament’s presidency on Wednesday urged the federal government to reverse the decision, warning of a looming economic crisis. The KRG cabinet also condemned the move, calling it “unconstitutional” and “a collective punishment of the Kurdistan Region residents.”