Syria raised the prices of fuel and other petroleum products again, officials and state media said on Wednesday, as the government gradually cuts subsidies to shore up public finances.
The implementation of the price hike began after midnight, and came at a time when the government announced an increase in the salaries and pensions of public sector employees by 100% to help the population cope with the rising cost of living and the impact of subsidy cuts.
The government raises public sector salaries sharply, but lags far behind skyrocketing inflation, which continues to soar along with a record depreciation of the local currency.
Over the past two years, officials have said that phasing out huge, blanket subsidies on bread and petrol and replacing them with a smart card quota system would improve a corrupt and wasteful supply chain and alleviate chronic problems.
They also stated that the ration system delivers services efficiently to those in need, and will help the poorest citizens in a country where salaries and subsidies constitute the bulk of state spending.
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