Baghdad, Iraq- Iraq’s Ministry of Finance firmly rejected rumors circulating on social media regarding potential salary cuts for military and police personnel. On Monday, the ministry issued a statement clarifying that statements attributed to Finance Minister Taif Sami were entirely false.
The ministry explained that Minister Sami never suggested that the delay in passing the salary scale law was related to high salaries for military and police forces. It further denied that she called for any salary reductions for these groups. “These claims, along with other misleading information, are baseless,” the statement read.
The Ministry of Finance warned that the spreading of such rumors could lead to legal action. It urged all parties and individuals to avoid circulating unverified information that could distort fiscal and accounting policies. The ministry emphasized the importance of relying on accurate, official sources to prevent the spread of false claims.
The rumors in question originated from social media, where a statement supposedly made by Minister Sami was shared. In the circulated statement, the minister allegedly explained that the delay in implementing the salary scale law was due to the high salaries of military, police, and Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) members. According to the post, she claimed that these salaries were creating a budget deficit and suggested that they be reduced from 1.6 million to one million dinars in order to resolve the issue.
However, the Ministry of Finance’s statement clarified that these comments were fabricated and had no basis in fact. The ministry strongly advised against spreading unverified claims and reassured the public that efforts to implement the new salary scale law would continue as planned.
In conclusion, the Ministry of Finance emphasized the need for transparency and accuracy in discussing Iraq’s fiscal policies. With rumors like these potentially undermining trust in government actions, the ministry reiterated its commitment to addressing budget concerns without resorting to misleading or false narratives.
