Damascus, April 18 (SANA) Finance Minister Mohammad Yisr Barnieh said that low-income earners in Syria will be fully exempt from taxes under a proposed reform, clarifying that the total tax-exempt annual income reaches 64 million Syrian pounds.
In statements to SANA, Barnieh explained that individuals earning less than 50 million Syrian pounds annually would be exempt from income tax, with additional allowances of 6 million pounds for dependents and 8 million pounds for living expenses such as rent and healthcare.
He dismissed circulating reports on tax exemptions as inaccurate or taken out of context, stressing that the measures aim to provide significant support to low-income groups, including most public sector employees.
The minister added that the government has introduced substantial tax reductions, making Syria’s tax system among the lowest in the region, despite the need to increase revenues to fund infrastructure and essential services.
Barnieh also announced tax exemptions for affected industrial, tourism, and commercial businesses to support their recovery, alongside a shift from a complex consumption tax to a simpler sales tax system.
He noted that essential goods, including food and medicine, will be fully exempt from sales tax, with around 9,300 goods and services excluded.
At the same time, Barnieh stressed that tax evasion will be addressed, noting that some high-income earners currently pay no taxes.
He said compliant taxpayers would be rewarded through a “gold list” system, while evaders would face penalties.
The reforms are part of broader efforts to improve fairness, enhance compliance, and strengthen the country’s economic recovery.
F.J./M.Z.
