Local media report that President Bashar al-Assad of Syria has ordered a pay increase of 100 percent to coincide with the government’s dramatic increases in fuel prices.
According to NAN, this is the fourth pay raise for state employees, retirees, and military members since the outbreak of the Syrian war in 2011.
Since then, the country’s economy has been in a deep crisis.
Before the decision, government employees were paid anywhere from $10 to $25 a month, in US dollars, depending on the black market value of the Syrian pound.
Diesel fuel for transportation and bakeries was priced approximately 180% more by the Syrian Ministry of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection on Tuesday, while regular octane gasoline was priced approximately 165% higher.
Many bus drivers didn’t show up to work on Wednesday, contributing to the turmoil that ensued as a result of the recent increase in gasoline prices.
Food prices, which the price increase also affected, increased by 30%-100%.
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