Syrian President issues financial stimulus to government employees amid rising fuel prices

QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Syrian president Bashar Assad issued legislative decree No. 25 on Wednesday, providing for “a one-time financial stimulus of 50,000 Syrian pounds (SYP) that is exempt from payroll income tax, wage tax, and any other deductions.” 

“The stimulus will be disbursed to all civil and military employees in the ministries, departments, general institutions, companies, and facilities of the public sector.”    

It will also be “granted to the joint sector actors where the state’s contribution is at least 75% of its capital, to the conscripts of the army, the armed forces, and Syrian workers in the Syrian missions abroad.”

The decree provided that a grant of SYP 40,000 will be disbursed to pensioners – civil and military – and exempt from payroll income tax, wage tax and any other deductions. 

Syrian Minister of Finance Kinan Yagi announced on Wednesday that the stimulus will be disbursed starting from the date of issuance.

This decree was issued in conjunction with the increase of the price of subsidized gasoline by the Ministry of Internal Trade, which doubled the price, bringing a liter of gasoline from 250 to 450 SYP.

The average need of gasoline for each vehicle per month is 100 liters, which is SYP 45,000, while the average employee’s salary is SYP 50,000 per month, according to local sources’ estimates.