Protests erupted in northeast Syria following the decision by the autonomous administration to double diesel prices. This decision coincided with the US dollar surpassing the 14,000 Syrian pound mark.
Last August, gasoline prices in Syria witnessed a 167% hike at fuel stations. This marked the third increase in the current year.
The Syrian government took several decisions on 15 August, including doubling the salaries of public sector employees and pension allowances in a bid to help citizens cope with the rising cost of living and the impact of subsidy cuts.
The fuel price hike has caused chaos in local transportation services in Damascus, with some taxi and public bus drivers partially ceasing their operations. Activists in government-controlled areas have called for a general strike in protest against the gasoline price surge.
This surge in gasoline and other oil derivatives prices comes as the government aims to gradually remove subsidies to reduce import bills and bolster an economy strained by a war lasting over a decade.
The Ministry of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection released six decisions, as reviewed by the specialized energy platform, which includes adjusting the prices of gasoline in Syria, “Octane 95”, as well as diesel, liquefied petroleum gas, and fuel oil prices.
This increase is the third of its kind in 2023. The Syrian government had raised the price of a liter of Octane 95 gasoline by more than 20% in May, registering 7,600 pounds.
On January 3, the first hike of 2023 was announced, with Octane 95 gasoline climbing to 5,750 pounds.
In December 2022, the Ministry of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection raised fuel prices in Syria for the fourth time that year.
Subsidized Octane 90 gasoline jumped to 3,000 Syrian pounds from 2,500, while the price of a liter of non-subsidized gasoline rose to 4,900 pounds from 4,000.
