Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq (KRG.org) – There have recently been some inaccurate public statements regarding fuel pricing policy in the Kurdistan Region. We therefore wish to reassure the people of Kurdistan that the fuel price increase, as decided on by the Kurdistan Region Oil and Gas Council, is related to the current economic, political, and military situation now facing the Kurdistan Region.

This increase comes as a necessity given that we must manage the Kurdistan Region’s budget and government despite not receiving our share of the budget from the federal government for eight months, while at the same time fighting against the terrorist militants and trying to manage the influx of more than 850,000 civilians from Iraq who have taken refuge in the Kurdistan Region.

The Kurdistan Region Oil and Gas Council’s priority is also to ensure the payment of salaries to civil servants. Fuel pricing decisions are related to the current crisis facing the Region. The KRG and all blocks and political parties together, in consensus, decided on fuel prices, so there should not be accusations from any side against the other.

We hope that the people of Kurdistan, the political parties, the Kurdistan Parliament, and non-governmental institutions understand the situation and respond to the current circumstances responsibly and act accordingly. Political grandstanding and misleading statements regarding this issue do not serve anyone’s interest. We reassure everyone that we will review all such decisions as the situation in the Kurdistan Region improves. We remain committed to work for the benefit of the people of Kurdistan and we will continue to exert every effort to serve you.



Qubad Talabani
Deputy Prime Minister
Kurdistan Regional Government