Aleppo's Local Councils may dissolve due to lack of funds: official

Translation by Yusra Ahmed

Local Administrative Councils (LACs) in liberated areas in Syria are suffering significant crisis as a result of lack of money and no salaries for 4 months.

Ahmed Termanini, a member of the National Coalition and Aleppo City Council described the situation as “pitiful” intensified by stopping salaries for 4 months.

Termanini mentioned in his letter to the Chief of National Coalition and members of the Political Body that employees and workers were still patient and doing their jobs despite the difficult circumstances because of support they receive from people and other charities.

“However, that surprising patience and struggle of workers, would not continue for long, and they are not blamed if they left” Termanini added.

In the letter that Zaman al-Wasl obtained a copy of, Termanini mentioned that (LACs) had started losing experts and even some workers left, and the situation would not tolerate any procrastination.

The National Coalition’s member warned that councils are at the brink of being dissolved and completely losing experts if the National Coalition had not moved quickly and paid salaries, which are low enough to be easily affordable.

In the end of his letter, Termanini warned reaching to irreversible status and the councils get dissolved, in that case it would be difficult to reform again.

Local administrative councils (LACs), nascent revolutionary governing structures that began forming across Syria as cities and towns liberated from Assad’s regime. Since 2012, LACs have strived to provide essential public services such as water, electricity, and price stabilization for basic commodities, and in some instances humanitarian relief and military coordination.