Gasoline prices soar, another step to lift subsidy in Syrian government areas
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – The Syrian government hiked yesterday, the prices of subsidized gasoline (distributed through ration cards) in the areas it control from 750 SYP to 1,100, for the fourth time in a year. The rate of the increase this time is 46%.
The Ministry of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection released mandate via its official Facebook account yesterday evening as it usually does whenever it hikes prices of fuel derivatives.
“The goal is to reduce the huge loses in the equilibrium for oil and to ensure the non-crunch or shortage of gasoline,” the mandate said.
In the same context, Amr Salem, Minister of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection, claimed no country subsidies fuel specially gasoline, adding that the new price (1,100) is less than half of its original cost.
The new decision that followed former ones is a policy which aims to lift subsidy from the ration card, according to locals although official statements deny it.
The last increase of subsidized gasoline prices was in mid-March when the ministry mandated the price of gasoline with an octane level of 90 for 750 SYP instead of 475 SYP. In the same day, the price of free gasoline soared from 675 SYP to 2,000 SYP.
Again, in early November, the Ministry doubled the price of household gas cylinder from 3,800 to 9,700 SYP.
The Syrian government’s policy is to lift subsidy from basic consumption goods by two steps: the first step is to raise prices of subsidized goods on the ration cards and the next one is to exclude some Syrian categories from subsidized goods claiming “they are rich”.
The government claims that it offers basic consumption goods to its citizens with prices less than their original cost and less than universal prices, too, neglecting poor salaries and wages.
Now, Syria is one of the low income countries with the majority of Syrians live in poverty.
The United Nations said, 9 in 10 Syrians live in poverty, with 60% at risk of going hungry this year.
The 12.4 million Syrians are food insecure, the World Food Program (WFP) said.