President Al-Sharia announces sweeping salary increases and unveils 2026 budget: the largest in Syria's modern history
During a speech delivered at the People's Palace in Damascus after the Eid prayers, President Ahmed al-Shara announced a broad package of economic decisions that included raising the minimum wage and increasing public salaries by 50 percent, in addition to qualitative increases for doctors, engineers and some institutions of a specialized nature.
President Al-Sharaa said that the government has adopted the new minimum wage based on the recommendations of the Ministry of Finance, taking into account poverty rates, stressing that the increases aim to improve the standard of living and enhance the purchasing power of citizens.
Budget 2026: An unprecedented leap
President Al-Sharaa revealed that the general budget for 2026 amounted to $10.5 billion, which is almost five times the budget for 2024 and equivalent to three times the budget for 2025, stressing that this is "a great achievement achieved within a year and a few months."
President Al-Sharaa explained that government spending in 2024 did not exceed two billion dollars, while in 2025 it increased to 3.5 billion dollars, with a budget surplus achieved for the first time, pointing out that the GDP rose from low levels after the war to reach about 32 billion dollars in 2025.
He predicted that the GDP during the current year will range between $60 billion and $65 billion , which will return the country to the level of 2010, which will reflect positively on basic services.
Government priorities: Camp ending and reconstruction
President al-Shara stressed that one of the government's priorities is to end the file of the camps and enable the residents to return to their villages and towns that were destroyed by the former regime, pointing out that large sums of money have been allocated to rehabilitate infrastructure in the affected areas, especially in the countryside of Idlib, Aleppo, northern Hama and northern Latakia, in addition to some areas of Eastern Ghouta, Daraa and Deir Ezzor.
He announced the creation of a special fund to support infrastructure worth at least $3 billion in government spending without relying on foreign aid or loans.
Special attention to the eastern regions
President Al-Sharaa revealed that additional funds have been allocated to the eastern provinces: Deir Ezzor, Al-Hasakah and Raqqa, with a focus on improving basic services such as hospitals, schools and roads, in addition to developing infrastructure in the rest of the Syrian cities.