Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
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Damascus, SANA – The People’s Assembly held a session on Wednesday chaired by Speaker Mohammad Jihad al-Laham and attended by Prime Minister Wael al-Halaqi and the Cabinet members.
In the opening speech of the session, Speaker al-Laham said that the legislation and executive authorities must work to bolster the steadfastness of the Syrian people, stressing the need for prioritizing securing the needs of citizens, making effective economic choices, and dealing with urgent issues quickly.
He also said that President Bashar al-Assad’s recent speech constitutes a call for innovation and finding solutions for emerging issues and the conditions of the crisis.
Al-Laham said that Syria’s enemies are still betting on terrorism and on pressuring the Syrian people into submission, but he voiced confidence in Syria’s imminent victory, noting that this victory must be accompanied by hard work to rebuild and reconstruct.
He concluded by saluting the Army and Armed Forces and praying for the souls of Syria’s martyrs.
In turn, Premier al-Halaqi stressed the importance of fulfilling the aspirations of the Syrian people and providing their needs, asserting that the government will continue to fulfill its role in this regard.
He lauded the heroic acts of the Syrian Arab Army, security forces, and popular defense groups in the battle against terrorism, asserting that terrorism will never change Syria’s features.
The Premier also voiced commitment to caring for the families of martyrs, the people injured in the war, and handling the issue of missing people and abductees, in addition to supporting reconciliations and improving relief work and aid.
Al-Halaqi said that reconstruction is a priority for the government, and work in this field has already begun and more plans are being drawn up for areas across the country.
Addressing the economic situation, the Prime Minister said that the government will keep working to improve citizens’ living conditions despite economic sanctions and lack of resources, adding that special attention is given to the services sector and specifically electricity and drinking water, particularly in Aleppo province.
He noted that the government still provides education, communication, and health services and still subsidizes essential consumer products, fuel, water, electricity, internal transportation, agriculture, and industry.
Regarding agriculture, he reviewed the government’s efforts to support farmers and livestock breeders, saying that these efforts and the government’s policies in this regard focus on achieving food security.
Al-Halaqi also said that the government will keep supporting local production and industry which are showing signs of recovery and improved productivity.
The Premier addressed the criticisms leveled at the government in recent months regarding its inability to control prices, stabilize the Syrian Pound exchange rate, and the problems in the services sectors, stressing that the government has managed to preserve an “acceptable” degree of services in light of the war being waged on Syria, and that it has managed to maintain work in state institutes and provide salaries for state workers consistently.
He added that the government has been working hard to overcome the effects of the methodical terrorist attacks on the petroleum, gas, and electricity sectors, and has taken steps to improve these sectors’ performances and reduce electric power rationing as much as possible.
Al-Halaqi said that Syria’s diplomatic corps is still working to relay the truth of what is happening in Syria to the world, and that the government continues to support the efforts of UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, as well as supporting the initiative of Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding counterterrorism.
Hazem Sabbagh
