Retirees' Union in KRI takes action to sue Al-Sudani and Taif Sami
Shafaq News / The Retirees' Union in the Kurdistan Region - al-Sulaymaniyah branch - disclosed on Wednesday their steps following over a year since the Federal Court's decision obligating the regional and central authorities to treat the region's retirees similarly to those in the central and southern regions.
The Union's spokesperson in al-Sulaymaniyah, Sadiq Osman, disclosed during a press conference, "After more than a year since the Supreme Federal Court's decision in 2022, which was ruled in its decision number 212 on 23-11-2022, obligating the regional government to act upon Law No. 9 of 2014, which has not been implemented yet."
He added, "Last November, we granted the regional government a week to implement the decision, but they have not taken any action. We were compelled to return to Baghdad once more. We met with the head of the General Retirement Authority and were promised a discussion on their issue during the preparation of the federal budget. The General Retirement Authority affirmed its capability to bear the expenses of Kurdistan's retirees if an agreement is reached between the federal and regional governments."
He continued, "Afterward, we approached Judge Faiq Zidan, providing him with all the details. He confirmed that the Federal Court's decisions are binding on all authorities and must be executed, stating that the matter needs to be discussed with the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister."
"The Kurdistan Retirees' Union handed Zidan a memorandum containing all the details and signatures of more than 13,000 retirees," adding, "If the decision is not implemented, a complaint will be lodged against Al-Sudani, Taif Sami, and the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region, Masrour Barzani. They have submitted a new memorandum to the Federal Court and other entities."
They urged the regional authorities to "resolve the issue with Baghdad and steer clear of lingering problems," emphasizing that they were forced to turn to Baghdad after their efforts with the regional authorities failed.
Osman elaborated, "Since 2014, approximately 22 months' worth of our monthly salaries have been withheld due to the financial crisis, all because the region operated under Law No. 27 of 2006, which was annulled and replaced by Law No. 9 of 2014, mandated to be adhered to in all parts of Iraq."
Due to this plight, the Retirees' Union lodged a complaint with the Federal Court in 2022. The Federal Court ruled in its decision number 212 on 23-11-2022, obligating the regional government to act upon Law No. 9 of 2014. However, according to Sadiq Osman, the law remains inactive in the region and has not been enforced to date.
