A high-level delegation from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is scheduled to visit Baghdad on Monday to continue negotiations on budget implementation and salary issues. The talks, which have been underway between the two governments, aim to resolve the long-standing dispute over the Kurdish region's share in the federal budget.

The delegation's visit was initially planned for Sunday but was postponed for unspecified reasons, according to an informed source.

The main focus of the discussions is the allocation of funds for the Kurdish region's salaries, which have not been paid for several months due to the halt in Kurdish oil exports since March 25. As part of the budget deal, the Kurdish oil will now be marketed through the Iraqi oil marketing company, SOMO.

The passing of the three-year budget law faced delays and disagreements, with Kurdish lawmakers expressing concerns over certain provisions they deemed to undermine the region's status as a federal entity. However, the budget was eventually approved in early June, with the Kurdish region's share set at 12.67 percent, amounting to over $12 billion annually.

The total state expenditures for Iraq's budget have been set at 198.91 trillion Iraqi dinars (approximately $153 billion) with a deficit of more than 64 trillion dinars (over $48 billion), making it one of the country's largest budgets.

For over a decade, the management of oil and gas resources has been a contentious issue between Erbil and Baghdad, leading to previous suspensions of the Kurdistan Region's share in federal budgets. Despite the challenges, both parties are optimistic about reaching a resolution on the budget and salary matters during the upcoming talks.

The outcome of the negotiations could have significant implications for the economic stability and relations between the Kurdistan Region and the federal government.