DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Sulaimani Governor Haval Abubaker announced Thursday that the province will not hold any official celebrations for Eid al-Adha in protest of the federal government's decision to withhold the Kurdistan Region's budget for the remainder of 2025.

The Iraqi finance ministry last week said it will suspend funding the Kurdistan Region for the remainder of the year, claiming that the Region has already exceeded its share of the annual federal budget.

In a statement, Abubaker said the people of Kurdistan are being “held hostage” by both local and federal authorities. He called the suspension of salaries a serious injustice, saying, “Cutting off people’s income is worse than taking lives.”

The governor said the decision to cancel official celebrations is meant to show opposition to the current leadership, which he accused of failing to uphold the values of citizenship, religion, and peaceful coexistence.

“We will respect only the religious duties and traditions of our society,” he said. “We pray that all pilgrims have an accepted Hajj, and that our people stay strong and united to get through this injustice.”

Abubaker added that, although there will be no formal celebrations, all local government offices in Sulaimani will remain open during the holiday to serve the public.

The Iraqi parliament’s speakership on Wednesday condemned the federal government’s cut of civil servant salaries in the Kurdistan Region, calling it a violation of the constitution and Federal Court rulings. The parliament urged Baghdad to reverse the decision, especially with Eid al-Adha approaching, warning that the move would deepen economic hardship for citizens in the Region. 

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) strongly rejected the cut to Erbil's budget, calling it unconstitutional and a form of collective punishment. KRG officials said Erbil has met all its obligations under a February agreement with Baghdad, which was meant to ensure uninterrupted salary payments throughout 2025.

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani stressed that the agreement was backed by the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court, which prohibits using budget disputes as grounds to stop salary payments, and emphasized that the constitution guarantees equal treatment for all Iraqi citizens.