6/7/2025–|Last update: 17:50 (Mecca time)
Sham Al -Sabsbi
Damascus- In a country where millions suffer from extreme poverty and the erosion of purchasing power, any increase in salaries comes as an upcoming survival collar, albeit in the eyes of many just late compensation that only meets the minimum needs.
In this context, the Syrian President issued Ahmed Al -Shara Decisions to raise the salaries of state employees and contractual pensioners by 200%, starting this July.
The official of the media office of the Ministry of Finance, Ismail Al -Muqbel, confirmed that the recent increase in salaries will be positively reflected in the standard of living of citizens, noting that the difference will be tangible to people.
Al-Muqbel explained-in a statement to Al-Jazeera Net-that the salaries that ranged between 200 and 300 thousand pounds (20-30 dollars) increased to reach between 900 thousand and one million pounds (90-100 dollars) without imposing any taxes on them, which makes it a “step in the right direction.”
While he acknowledged that this increase is not sufficient to meet the full living needs of the Syrians, the next confirmed that there will be other increases before the end of this year, in a gradual attempt to improve the reality of income and keep up with inflation.
Insufficient
On the adequacy of this increase, Kawthar Al -Jundi (a retired employee from the Ministry of Education in Damascus) says that the increase was very necessary at this time, “because our previous salaries, which were average of $ 30, were not enough for more than 4 days.”
“My salary after the increase is 750 thousand pounds ($ 75), which is still not sufficient compared to the obligations and large monthly expenses, and the high prices of some basic commodities, but of course it is better than the previous salary,” Kawthar added in an interview with Al -Jazeera Net.
As for Muhannad Zabiba (an employee of the General Electricity Corporation in the city of Jaramana), he believes that the increase that was expected is not 200% but 400%, according to previous government promises that have not yet been achieved.
“Nevertheless, this increase is important, as it is at least able to cover the rent of my apartment of 850 thousand pounds ($ 85),” he says in an interview with Al -Jazeera Net. Muhannad, a head of a family of 4 individuals, depends on securing the remaining monthly expenses of his family on his evening work on a taxi after his official working hours.
The citizen notes that his monthly family expenses ranges between 5 and 7 million pounds (500-700 dollars) and rises and decreases according to seasons and classes. In the winter and the school season, the expense may double, while in the summer it decreases slightly.
Purchaential power and spending indicators
In exchange for this suffering that intersects with partial hopes with a limited improvement, some local indicators show a change in living costs. The average cost of living of the Syrian family, consisting of 5 individuals per month, decreased by 13% in the first quarter of this year, according to the local Qassioun index.
The index revealed that the minimum family living costs within a month decreased by about a million pounds, or 9 million pounds (900 dollars) – in January – to 8 million pounds (800 dollars) at the end of last March. Although this decrease does not necessarily reflect an actual improvement in economic conditions, it reflects the re -arrangement of spending priorities among citizens as a result of emergency conditions, especially in light of the continued liquidity crisis.
An unprecedented increase
For his part, economist Ziad Arabash explained that the current increase rate, which reached 200%, is the highest ever compared to the previous, as the rates of the increase in the past – during the years of the ousted regime – did not exceed 100% despite waves. Inflation The successive that was hitting the country.
He pointed out that the application of this increase would stimulate the general economic activity by pumping liquidity into the market, which will be reflected in multiple sectors without necessarily causing inflationary pressure, especially since energy prices and other commodities have witnessed a previous rise due to the recent military escalation between Israel and Iran.
Arbash stressed that moving the economy requires the government’s abandonment of the policy of imprisoning liquidity, removing various bottlenecks, and ensuring that citizens get their money easily, and not through the “harvest” in reference to the restricted monetary policy approved by the Central Bank.
The economist warned that the continuation of the liquidity imprisonment crisis may leave a comprehensive crisis of confidence, noting that this crisis will not be limited to a specific sector, but will extend to everyone, which may lead to the delay in the process of integrating Syria into the regional economic space, especially in light of government efforts to expand trade relations with some neighboring countries.
The Syrians are forced to stand several hours a week in queues in banks to receive their salaries or withdraw their money in payments, due to the monetary policy followed by the “central” in the imprisonment of liquidity, which led to a crisis that negatively reflected the living of the Syrians and the economic movement in the country.
90% of the Syrians have been under the poverty line, and half of the population suffers from food insecurity since 2021, according to international reports.
While the government announces unprecedented increases in salaries, citizens hope that these measures will be the beginning of a serious path towards alleviating daily suffering, not just temporary solutions. As inflation continues, liquidity restriction and the absence of real structural reforms, the majority is still struggling to secure the simplest basics of life.