Syrian interim gov’s bold move: 400% pay hike for workers
The Syrian interim government, which assumed power after President Bashar al-Assad's fall and escape, announced on Sunday that it will raise the salaries of public sector employees by 400 percent starting next month.
According to Reuters, Mohammed Abazid, the finance minister in the newly formed government, described this as a crucial initial measure to address the nation's economic challenges. The pay increases are projected to cost approximately $127 million.
The increase will be funded by existing state resources, regional aid, new investments, and efforts to unfreeze Syrian assets abroad. Last spring, the World Bank noted that in 2022, 69 percent of Syria's population lived in poverty, while 20 percent lived in extreme poverty.
The Syrian government appeals to the USA: sanctions target the nation, not the Assad regime
Syrian Foreign Minister Asad Hasan al-Shibani has appealed to the United States to lift the crippling sanctions imposed on the country, emphasizing that they obstruct the swift reconstruction of the war-torn nation. Shibani, during his visit to Qatar, told journalists that the sanctions are now targeted at the Syrian people, not, as before, the Assad regime.
The international community is observing how the new leaders in Damascus will wield their power and is cautiously considering the lifting of economic restrictions imposed on Syria, noted the Voice of America portal. It recalled that German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who visited Syria on Friday, stated that the removal of sanctions on Damascus will depend on transformative processes in the country.
“Europe will support, but Europe would not be a sponsor of new Islamist structures,” announced the German minister. During her visit, she emphasized that all social groups should be included in the transformation process and that Syria should become a safe home for all its residents.
On December 8, the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) assumed control in Damascus, overthrowing Bashar al-Assad's regime in a swift offensive after 24 years of his rule.
