Syria: government's reshuffle before the end of year
Syria, Politics, 8/26/2003

The notification made by President Bashar al-Assad recently to members of the Central Command of the National Progressive Front on that a governmental reshuffle will be made "in the coming phase" resulted into a heated dialogue on the form of the next government, its nature and the extent of reforms that should precede the new government.

According to a newsletter by Ayman Abdul Nour who is close to the decision making centers in Syria. The official sides in Syria, two days previously merged governmental establishments, namely the two ministries of oil and electricity into one ministry called the "ministry of energy." This measure was in the frame of the structural reform of the Syrian government before the government reshuffle expected before the end of this year.

The news letter said that the merging operation will target the ministry of state for the environment affairs which will be merged with the ministry of local administration as well as merging banks originally affiliated to it with the ministry of finance which will be named "the Treasury ministry," while the ministry of the economy and foreign trade will be named the ministry of commerce after establishments and directorates of the ministry of supply will be annexed to it.

Departments specialized in land transport will be detached from the minister of communications to the ministry of transport while establishments concerned with sewage and potable water will be detached from the ministry of housing to the ministry of irrigation and others in the ministry of building and construction.

On the other hand, the following ministries and laws will be abrogated. The minister of state for People's Assembly PA affairs, the ministry of state for the Syrian Red Crescent affairs and the high seas law; the posts of the deputy premier for economic affairs and services as well as the three permanent committees at the cabinet: the economic, services and the cultural. It was agreed that one minister will also have the post of the deputy premier.

Worthy mentioning the current Syrian prime minister Muhammad Mustafa Miro formed by the end of 2001 his second government of 35 ministers. Its main characteristics was a reduction in the share of the "Baath party" from 26 to 19 ministers and an increase in the share of independents and members of the National Progressive Front.

Previous Stories:
  Heitham Manaa ends 25 years in exile   (8/25/2003)
  Al- Assad presides over the NAF meeting   (8/5/2003)
  Damascus: Government reshuffle is by the end of year   (7/11/2003)

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