Features of a new economic system in Syria

The decisions and actions of the Syrian Interim Government, which was formed following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime on the 8th of this month, indicate that the country is moving towards an economic model based on a free economy, unlike the previous model that was based on the centralization of the state and its monopoly over most means of production and work and control over them.

The free economy has not been experienced by Syrians for more than 60 years, that is, since the Baath Party seized power in 1963, but many of them saw it in the markets of neighboring countries, or in the countries they had the opportunity to visit, and they saw with their own eyes how the citizens of these countries enjoy ordinary advantages that were like dreams for the Syrian people.

The advantages for the average Syrian citizen were the right to own a modern car from his income, just as citizens of other countries can do so, and this advantage remained a dream for every Syrian citizen until the last moment of the fall of the regime, then the freedom of movement, work, trade and buying what he wants, without the intelligence services sharing his livelihood or restricting his work.

Therefore, if we observe the first moments following the fall of the regime, the first thing the new authorities did was to flood the markets with modern cars without customs duties, which led to an immediate decrease in their prices by about 80 percent, as if this was a message to the Syrian people that your most prominent dreams are coming true with the utmost ease, which means that the future is definitely better.

Also, one of the aspects that the new authorities in the country were keen to spread is the freedom to deal in dollars and other currencies, with the opening of markets to new goods coming from Turkey at cheaper prices than local ones,

In addition to canceling customs duties on mobile phones and other decisions that were a sword hanging over the necks of Syrians to blackmail them financially, in order for Syrians to feel that a new era different from the previous one has come, regardless of whether these decisions serve the economic reality or not.

So far, it can be said that the Syrians are happy with these changes, and they can hardly believe what is happening to them with the utmost ease, especially the news that talks about the government's intention to raise salaries by 400 percent, but this situation will not last more than two or three months, just like a child who is happy with a toy he dreamed of having, then after he gets used to it and gets bored of it, he destroys it.

In other words, the economic facts from the genes of the deposed regime that were revealed do not indicate a rapid economic boom in the way that some imagine.

The $200 million that was said to be all the Central Bank's hard currency holdings does not cover the costs of importing oil derivatives for just one month. As for the gold reserve of 26 tons, which is estimated at about $2.2 billion at current prices, it means nothing, and it cannot be disposed of, because it is currently the only carrier of the Syrian currency available in the markets, considering that the country is in its worst state in terms of production.

We do not aim in this area to spread pessimism, but it is necessary to show the true picture of the economic reality, which requires tremendous efforts from all the people of the country, at home and abroad, and most important of all is the stability of the security and political situation,

In addition to the necessity of returning the oil fields to the sovereignty of the Syrian state, activating production and export, and starting reconstruction projects and compensating those affected, in a way that creates new job opportunities, strengthening the state's resolve in implementing its new economic system..

This requires a period of time that is not short, perhaps years, so that the Syrian citizen can enjoy the virtues of the new free economic system that he has always dreamed of.