Syria is in a ‘very bad’ financial situation, confirms head of interim government

The head of the Syrian interim government has confirmed that the country is in a “very bad” financial situation, with very little foreign reserves and the Syrian pound worth “little or nothing”. Mohamed Al-Bashir made his comment yesterday as he confirmed that his government will stay in power until March.

Although he explained that the interim government has inherited from the Bashar Al-Assad regime “an enormous, corrupt administrative legacy,” his comment comes at a time when Syrian refugees are already returning from Turkiye with the resumption of a relatively normal life in most Syrian governorates.

In an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Serra, Al-Bashir called on his fellow citizens who fled the country during the years of conflict to return to their homeland. In an effort to encourage expatriates and refugees to return, he stressed that the rights of all people and all sects in Syria would be guaranteed. “Syria is now a free country that has earned its pride and dignity,” he added.

The goal of his government, said the interim leader, is to restore security and stability to all Syrian cities and return millions of Syrian refugees. He also confirmed that war criminals from the Assad regime will be tried according to current Syrian laws. The challenge is enormous, he stressed, promising success and improvements over time.

Al-Bashir was running the Salvation Government led by the opposition forces before the factions arrived in Damascus and toppled the regime on Sunday.

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