We Live in a Real State of War that We Should Win President al-Assad says

President Bashar al-Assad on Tuesday presided over the first session of the new cabinet after the new government members sworn in before him.

The President addressed the new government, calling on the ministers to contact with the citizens in transparency, specifying the priorities and immediately acting to carry them out, providing the basic needs, preventing prices’ increase, combating monopoly and reconstructing infrastructure sabotaged by the terrorists.

President al-Assad gave directives to make the priority to the poorest areas in Syria, putting mechanisms that achieve social equality among citizens, accelerating achievement of the laws related to the administrative reform, combating corruption, rehabilitating human resources and controlling the governmental losses.

“All previous circumstances, particularly the current ones, have proven that the public sector is very necessary to Syria.. but this doesn’t mean to keep it loser or be a burden on the state and the budget,” the President said, instructing the new government to put a clear vision to develop this sector.

President al-Assad stressed that the social aspect is the basis for political stability and security, saying ” We are here to work… we have to possess an economic mentality with a clear vision”.

The President said that the agricultural sector is strategic and no other sector in Syria can be compared to it since the large part of Syrian society lives and works in agriculture and a great part of the Syrian economy is affected by agriculture and the annual seasons.

President al-Assad underlined the importance of focusing on the small and medium-sized industries because the Syrian economy, and even, the President says, the economies of the big countries will not or didn’t grow depending on the great industries or projects, but they were built on the small projects.

The President called on the government to search for greater developmental projects that serve the citizen and wouldn’t be a burden on the state like the housing projects which benefit the citizen and the state alike.

President al-Assad gave directives to study the financial and currency polices which boost development like issues of Banking interests and the prices of currency exchange.

“When the Central Bank gives numbers, it is essential for the government to find polices or goals that fix these numbers like employment, unemployment, inflation.. these polices have to be carried out by other institutions, including the Central Bank,” the President said.

The President underscored the necessity of focusing on the economy of knowledge and making it a strategic policy as it is very important for all sectors and its additional value is very high.

President al-Assad referred to the big responsibility assumed by the new government in light of the current condition Syria is passing through, and the need for possessing the spirit of challenge and responsibly in order to become the government of challenging difficulties, working to achieve the aspirations of citizens, particularly this government comes after the new constitution.

The President underlined that we live a state of real war, and when we live a state of war, all our polices, directives and all sectors will be directed in order to gain victory in this war.

President al-Assad referred to the necessity of differentiating between the default of a minister and the default of the government, saying “in a lot of cases, we see that a default by a minister might be reflected on the government with a negative view, criticism or accusation.. the minister has to defend his/her point of view, so the citizen will differentiate between the performance of the Minister and the government’s.. the Minister or the official should bear his/her responsibility.”

The President called upon the government to boost relations with the East, from Russia into the countries of the East, the South which means the Latin America and Africa through signing agreements with these states and to help the private sector build a real relation with them.

“Apparently, the problem was with the West only, while the majority of the world want to build relations with us and with others, but throughout decades, we were seeking to boost our economic ties with those who colonized us directly or indirectly.. Syria seeks to build good relations with all world countries but we have to know where are our real interests,” President al-Assad concluded.

President al-Assad last Saturday issued decree No. 210 forming the new government, headed by Dr. Ryad Hijab.