SYRIANNEWS — broadcast
20261102 100000 UTC
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[00:00:05] In light of the fluctuating exchange rate of the Syrian pound
[00:00:06] working to rebuild trust with against the dollar and the rising
[00:00:09] prices in the market, what role do the concerned
[00:00:12] ministries play in controlling prices
[00:00:15] and preventing exploitation in a free
[00:00:19] and open market? What are the demands of the people from
[00:00:23] something you like, you can get it. Some the concerned ministry, and how does all of that reflect on the prices
[00:00:35] short supply so that you maintain
[00:00:35] a complaint to the application.
[00:00:46] of the market that exists, I mean, there is We want to ask you about the issue of prices
[00:00:49] did it go up with and their control in this market and generally. Your follow-up. It's really expensive.
[00:00:53] Every day,
[00:00:56] noticed it went up last time every week, everything is going up. We used to get,
[00:01:01] what can I say, I don't know, what we used to get
[00:01:05] before, now we can't even get half of it, less than half of the goods
[00:01:08] in general. Okay, do you notice big differences between
[00:01:12] one place and another in the prices of the same commodity?
[00:01:16] Well, now, I'm talking about the city,
[00:01:18] everything is almost the same. The difference is
[00:01:22] simple, in wholesale stores and regular stores in the city, but outside,
[00:01:26] I don't know if I've tried, but the problem is with the general
[00:01:29] high prices. Yes, it's really
[00:01:31] The patrol, when it enters, registers a visit to expensive. Expensive, and income is no longer enough
[00:01:35] at all. Okay, if you see a very
[00:01:38] a price list outside high price, what would you do? I mean, above
[00:01:40] what's logical, anything I'm going to
[00:01:43] supervision, but they only supervise do, we have to reduce the amount of the commodity. or what? No, on If we used to buy it, one
[00:01:45] the shops. We need them to supervise would buy a plate of eggs, now they buy a quarter
[00:01:47] of a plate. We used to buy a can of oil, now we buy a kilo of oil. I mean, what else
[00:01:51] can one do? No, no, I mean something else,
[00:01:52] warn you or tell you where the that the price is very, I mean,
[00:01:56] more expensive than its neighbors, more expensive than its surroundings,
[00:01:59] more expensive than the whole city, a place that sets a price for something specific.
[00:02:03] First of all, I won't buy from him. I mean, the supply department should monitor
[00:02:07] that supervision has started on and follow up on this issue. We want to ask you about the issue of price control. How do you
[00:02:10] to control prices for notice prices in everything, for everything does not enter the activity
[00:02:12] do you see the recent price increases in the market now? Honestly, there is no control over the pricing
[00:02:15] process, I mean, in marketing, you know what I mean? First of
[00:02:19] all, prices have risen at crazy rates, I mean, other than the exchange rate,
[00:02:22] you know what I mean? There's a 30 to 40% increase
[00:02:26] in prices in everything. Secondly, you find that the commodity
[00:02:30] in one place has a certain price,
[00:02:32] to the root of this you go to another place and you find its price is different, you know? This
[00:02:36] process is also something the citizen is suffering from.
[00:02:39] issue because you told us that So it needs solutions, it needs mechanisms. Let's talk here, let's talk here about this
[00:02:43] can this market, Sheikh Saad. Do you always come here? Of course,
[00:02:46] almost all your goods or most
[00:02:49] A price bulletin was issued, of your things I get. Yes, exactly from Sheikh Saad market, with different prices.
[00:02:53] is determined based on So I know that this shop's prices are suitable for this item,
[00:02:58] to additional extortion, and therefore it was not so I buy it from him. Then I go to another shop that is suitable
[00:03:00] for a specific product. I have never seen
[00:03:04] the delegate, and even communicating with a patrol for monitoring or control at all, at all,
[00:03:06] How's your experience with at all, honestly, at all.
[00:03:09] For example, the price of chicken rises, let's talk about chicken since we are standing
[00:03:12] in front of it, you know? Now, for example, the price of chicken rises, the price, for example, to
[00:03:17] and follow-up on several types of complaints $3,000 per ton, let's say, right? Prices rose with it,
[00:03:20] reaching, let's say, for example, the price of a kilo
[00:03:23] of shawarma is 25,000.
[00:03:25] Three patrols come and conduct Okay, the price of the
[00:03:28] inspection ton dropped to $200. Where is the drop here? There is no
[00:03:31] drop, or if there is a drop, it's a slight drop. Yes, okay, who
[00:03:34] is eating this difference? The citizen is eating it the most. Okay, when you are
[00:03:38] pricing based on, let's say, the
[00:03:40] increases or price differences, dollar, on the price per ton,
[00:03:42] it strengthens a statistic from right? It rose to $3,000, you set a certain price. Okay, it dropped
[00:03:45] to $2,000. Where is the decrease in it? We don't notice any decrease,
[00:03:48] honestly. Our traders are good at raising prices, but when
[00:03:52] it comes to lowering them, they don't. Yes. Have you tried complaining or
[00:03:55] are no big differences contacting anyone? Well, I have tried, honestly, sometimes,
[00:03:59] on the "Mahloola" app or for example, on the ministry's website,
[00:04:03] regarding the Consumer Protection Directorate. They
[00:04:06] gave me the runaround until I reached what I wanted. Some told
[00:04:10] me to call a certain number, some sent me to inquiries, some to a number saying,
[00:04:14] that only bring first class, they charge you for "No, we have nothing to do with this story," you know? I mean, the last time
[00:04:17] I mentioned to you, we intervene directly in I remember was at Homs garage. I called them because
[00:04:20] prices were double, triple, and even more. This is not
[00:04:24] logical. I mean, an item, for example, costs, let's say, 5,000,
[00:04:27] but they sell it for 20. Why? What's
[00:04:29] complaining or contacting the reason? I went and called, for example, and they gave me
[00:04:32] the runaround, someone told me to call this, someone told me to call that. I mean, sometimes you reach a point where
[00:04:36] you just don't want to complain anymore, honestly.
[00:04:39] The governorate and the governor are working on We are noticing have obliged them. We used to suffer a lot from this a slight increase in prices. Now, prices
[00:04:42] vary, sometimes a slight increase. What I
[00:04:45] have seen, I mean, sometimes prices go up and down, not just up.
[00:04:49] Yes, now, thankfully, we are seeing, I mean, we are starting to notice, we are seeing supply
[00:04:52] citizen oversight in this and health patrols going around here. I saw a patrol
[00:04:56] a little while ago, I was walking over there in front of the
[00:05:02] and some of those carrying cameras, we see them inside the stores.
[00:05:05] I mean, we are starting to notice them present now.
[00:05:09] I mean, all of them attribute the reason
[00:05:12] to the rise in exchange rates and the change in currency and this thing, but
[00:05:16] I mean, the ministry is doing a good job. Okay, do you see an effect of this?
[00:05:20] I mean, do you see price control, unified prices? No, prices,
[00:05:23] honestly, are not unified. Prices vary, but I
[00:05:27] think we are almost heading towards a free market policy.
[00:05:30] I mean, if you want something cheap, you might walk a little further and get it cheap. If you want
[00:05:36] people will start going to the shop with the better price
[00:05:39] and better quality. Today, what controls prices is no longer,
[00:05:43] I mean, there is monitoring, but it's not the kind of monitoring that controls prices.
[00:05:47] Today, if I have a shop, I lower
[00:05:49] my price a bit, more people come to me. I want to choose a segment of people, I might
[00:05:53] raise my price a bit, fewer customers come to me. So this is the policy
[00:05:59] cheap, medium, and expensive. Where do you like to go? Oh, so you
[00:06:02] support this vision of the free market? Absolutely, I strongly support it
[00:06:06] because you can't impose a certain price on a shop owner and tell him, "You must
[00:06:10] sell a shawarma sandwich, for example, you must sell the sandwich
[00:06:13] for a certain price," or he will go and reduce its quality or make it
[00:06:17] bad for you, then you will get into other problems so that he can
[00:06:21] adhere to the pricing set for him by the ministry. Now, regarding
[00:06:24] patrols, they are present. The patrols are present and cooperative
[00:06:28] with the citizen and with the shop owner. The patrols are present, the patrols are present,
[00:06:32] and we feel it, I mean, I just saw
[00:06:36] two brothers sitting there from the supply patrols. I just saw them.
[00:06:39] Yes, they are, I mean, they are standing
[00:06:42] and adjusting prices in a friendly manner. And there is, I mean, we
[00:06:46] now feel the difference from before liberation and after
[00:06:50] liberation. The employee used to come not to adjust
[00:06:52] prices, his goal was to harm, to harm the shop
[00:06:56] owner by closing the shop or by jailing him or something. Okay,
[00:06:59] now, thank God, now he might give you warnings,
[00:07:05] loophole is, or there is deterrence. I mean, shop owners
[00:07:08] who violate either in price or
[00:07:11] quality are deterred. Of course, because we, I mean, our people understand
[00:07:15] with words, they understand with manners. You don't need to deter him
[00:07:18] with jail or deter him with anything. Maybe with a word, with guidance,
[00:07:22] maybe with guidance he will be deterred. And then quality plays a role
[00:07:26] in floating prices. We are with floating prices. I
[00:07:29] want a good item.
[00:07:33] want an item that is not available. I mean, now with vegetables,
[00:07:36] for example, if you want apples and so on, you have an apple for
[00:07:39] 15, for 20, for whatever, according to my social
[00:07:42] status, I buy according to my
[00:07:45] needs. Yes, so the situation is good.
[00:07:48] Have you ever seen a violation and complained about it? Have you tried this
[00:07:52] patrols are cooperative with citizens? Cooperative. And how
[00:07:55] are they cooperative? They are cooperative with
[00:07:59] the citizen if the citizen feels that there is injustice or
[00:08:02] something, they might come and respond.
[00:08:06] I noticed them now, I just noticed them now. I mean, did you see anyone complaining or
[00:08:09] what? No, but I noticed them, I mean, that they came to
[00:08:13] a shop and were asking about prices, price control and quality. Are you
[00:08:16] a shop owner? A shop owner.
[00:08:19] patrols, price control
[00:08:21] and quality? Now, they set a price
[00:08:25] for you and they give you, I mean, is there ease or not?
[00:08:28] Now, they are constantly following up, by the way. This means a morning patrol, a noon patrol,
[00:08:32] an evening patrol, they come to you three patrols, of course, from the morning.
[00:08:38] a market of prices.
[00:08:42] Now, they are restricting you with invoices. There is a problem with invoices
[00:08:46] between us and the traders, because traders
[00:08:49] rarely give you invoices. Now they are obliging them. Now
[00:08:53] they have been pressuring them for a while and obliging them with invoices.
[00:08:56] Okay, how does the citizen benefit from these procedures?
[00:09:00] The citizen benefits from them because today, when a wholesale
[00:09:04] trader commits to an invoice, the retail trader commits to
[00:09:08] the pricing. But when he doesn't give you, you are buying
[00:09:11] expensive. This is not suitable for the consumer. Yes.
[00:09:15] Okay, is the intervention in quality and cleanliness
[00:09:18] or more in price? Of course, you have three types, three types. You have
[00:09:22] first class, second class, third class. There are shops
[00:09:27] first class. There are shops that mix.
[00:09:30] Okay, what if today, for example, you
[00:09:34] faced a problem with a trader, a big trader in the wholesale
[00:09:38] market? Have you tried, for example,
[00:09:41] the patrol? If he doesn't give me an invoice, I won't buy from him. Before,
[00:09:45] we were obliged, now the patrols
[00:09:49] issue. How did this benefit you now? It benefited me in that
[00:09:52] the price for you is now when the wholesale trader commits
[00:09:55] to you, he commits. You are committed to your pricing, you have a percentage
[00:09:59] you need to take. But today, if he doesn't give you, he gives you any price, it becomes
[00:10:03] expensive for you and expensive for the consumer. This is the control they imposed in the wholesale
[00:10:12] for 110. Mashallah. Is this one type or more than one type? This
[00:10:16] is one type and this is another type. The second type,
[00:10:19] how much is it now? Here we sell it for 110 and here for
[00:10:23] 115. Of course, the same applies to them, 110 for 110. Mashallah.
[00:10:27] Oh, great. Okay, generally, we want to ask you, how do you
[00:10:30] see prices, their effect on the control process? I mean,
[00:10:34] are prices controlled in this market or is there a lot of fluctuation?
[00:10:37] Well, what can I tell you, it's tight and cheap, the situation is not just
[00:10:41] for walnuts, huh? We started talking about walnuts because you sell walnuts, but generally,
[00:10:44] well, prices, what can I tell you, are a bit
[00:10:47] high, I mean, not as you always want. Okay, let's go back to the topic
[00:10:51] of walnuts. What affects you? Its price affects me.
[00:10:56] Where do you buy from? Well, this is an export, I mean, from Al-Bazourieh.
[00:10:59] From Al-Bazourieh. You buy.
[00:11:02] Yes, I mean, I don't have tourist prices. I bring it for 90 and tell
[00:11:06] you it's 100, you add your percentage, and that's it. I mean, thank
[00:11:09] God, what can I tell you, it's little profit, may God bless it. Okay,
[00:11:14] the dollar, the walnuts? Yes, according to the dollar, they also price it for us the same.
[00:11:17] Oh, okay, when you
[00:11:21] with the dollar, did it go up at the same rate, or
[00:11:26] when the dollar went up, it went up more? More.
[00:11:29] Yes, this is a problem, not a big problem. Who should
[00:11:32] control it? Well, it should be controlled
[00:11:36] by, I mean, now, how can I explain it to you? They have
[00:11:39] walnuts stored. Yes, right? When
[00:11:43] the dollar goes up, they raise the price.
[00:11:45] They have walnuts in stock so that when they buy, for example, they brought
[00:11:49] them for 90, the dollar went up, they tell you 100. Yes, they will buy
[00:11:52] again because it's expensive, so they sell it for an expensive price.
[00:11:56] They just assume that the dollar went up. Are they
[00:11:58] supervised? I don't know. When you go, do you see
[00:12:04] the question, on the question, yes, there is
[00:12:10] the big traders. What do the retail shops have to do with it? I mean, you go into a retail
[00:12:13] shop and he tells you, "This is how I calculate it," he shows you the invoice, "This is how they calculate it for me,"
[00:12:17] you know? You supervise those who import, the big traders
[00:12:21] in the wholesale market, in the souq Al-Ziblatani. These are the wholesale traders,
[00:12:24] I feel. Okay, this is a point we can actually ask them about,
[00:12:28] and some shop owners mentioned
[00:12:32] traders. But I want to ask you another thing: how
[00:12:37] with the dollar? Did it increase at the same rate as the dollar, or
[00:12:41] more? Now, it increased, no, it was like
[00:12:44] the dollar, but it increased the most when fuel prices also increased.
[00:12:47] Most shops also raised prices.
[00:12:51] With fuel, prices increased. With fuel, and they also increased with
[00:12:55] the dollar, but the dollar has dropped now, thank God. Chicken prices have come down, thank God, may God reward
[00:12:58] them. Yes, but everything else has become expensive.
[00:13:01] I mean, now labneh is 42,000, shilal cheese, for example, is
[00:13:05] 93, 94, you know? I mean, it's very expensive, very.
[00:13:08] Olives are 35 and 36, even though green olives
[00:13:12] are now being sold for 10,000. I mean,
[00:13:15] why? Yes, for example,
[00:13:19] a bottle of oil, I mean, why was it
[00:13:21] 3,000 they were selling it for? I don't understand, Ounna oil. Why, why are they
[00:13:26] you know? Okay, do you feel there's a difference within the market?
[00:13:30] Do you feel this is true? You find, for example, in malls
[00:13:33] they have offers, wholesale stores, you find we are rushing to them now. In regular stores,
[00:13:36] all prices are the same. I mean, similar. Yes, prices
[00:13:40] in the market are similar, but generally, goods are expensive, everything
[00:13:44] is expensive, everything. No, no, everything is expensive, sir, everything is expensive. I don't know why
[00:13:47] it became expensive. I mean, oil was 17,000 last year, now it's
[00:13:51] 3,000. Based on your experience in Damascus, what's the difference?
[00:13:58] Well, there are big differences. First, let's talk about
[00:14:01] transportation, taxis. We take them from Al-Ramasa roundabout to Al-Marjeh,
[00:14:05] to Al-Bahsa, to Al-Hariqa for 25,000, 30,000
[00:14:08] at most. In Qamishli, you take a taxi down a street, he takes 30,000
[00:14:12] from you. Yes, it's more expensive there, I mean, much more expensive. And regarding food,
[00:14:16] there, now we get a whole broasted chicken for 100, 110,000, 115
[00:14:20] at most. There, they calculate it for 125, 130, 150.
[00:14:23] Oh, so restaurants, everyone
[00:14:25] is on their own, everyone sets their own prices.
[00:14:29] Good. There are many things. Vegetables are cheaper there. I mean, I
[00:14:32] see fruits, there are many things, I mean, much cheaper than Qamishli. I mean,
[00:14:36] you saw life there generally cheaper? Generally cheaper, but
[00:14:40] house rents are almost comparable to Qamishli. Yes.
[00:14:43] Now, here, you come now to take a house for 200, 200, 300 dollars. There,
[00:14:47] it's from 100 and up, 150 and up.
[00:14:50] The monitoring patrols have not been activated in Qamishli.
[00:14:53] The monitoring in Qamishli has not been activated yet.
[00:15:04] this matter, and banks will open, and official departments
[00:15:08] will open, and monitoring will start and there will be monitoring.
[00:15:10] It's supposed to happen. Because now we
[00:15:14] are there, every person is selling at their own price, and this
[00:15:18] is here, and this is the current price, two words, if you don't like it,
[00:15:20] they tell you, "Go, don't buy, buy from someone else."
[00:15:46] Viewers, to talk about this, I welcome Mr. Hassan Al-Shawwa,
[00:15:50] Director of the Consumer Protection Directorate and Food Safety in the General Directorate
[00:15:58] hosting. We have come to you with many
[00:16:02] details that we hope to convey as much as possible
[00:16:06] to the viewers. And we will convey to you the voice of the people
[00:16:09] we met with.
[00:16:12] I mean, first of all, we want to know what is the role
[00:16:15] of the Directorate in price
[00:16:17] control and
[00:16:20] its relationship with the rising
[00:16:23] prices, to curb the price increases that the people have complained about
[00:16:27] a lot. Welcome, and thank you
[00:16:30] for your interest in this topic. Of course, it
[00:16:33] is a very sensitive topic and a topic that
[00:16:37] is considered, let's say, a priority since the market was restricted, since the market
[00:16:41] was, the previous role of the Directorate was through the Price Directorate
[00:16:45] to set prices. Currently,
[00:16:48] within the Directorate, there is a department specialized in price surveying, which is the Price
[00:16:51] Department. As you all know, currently
[00:16:54] it's a free and unrestricted market, but
[00:16:58] the ministry intervenes if the goods are essential and affect
[00:17:02] the needs of the citizen, so it intervenes in setting the price,
[00:17:05] such as setting the price of bread, which is fixed
[00:17:09] in terms of price and weight and quality control,
[00:17:12] and also monitoring establishments through the Food Safety Department.
[00:17:16] In general, the transition to a free market will be
[00:17:19] a reality that is still in its early stages, let's say,
[00:17:23] the first third of the transition to a free market, because
[00:17:27] it is, let's say, traded between
[00:17:30] producer, importer, and business owner, and also the consumer
[00:17:34] as a primary and permanent monitor in the market and an interested party.
[00:17:38] And the widespread monitoring system through consumer protection patrols
[00:17:41] in the governorates whose role has shifted from
[00:17:45] an authoritarian role, a role that sometimes
[00:17:48] involves extortion or
[00:17:51] bribery or a reputation that some monitors almost have a bad reputation
[00:17:55] to a role where we started with
[00:17:58] training courses that their role is a service role, a role of adding
[00:18:02] added value to work. Okay, we will get to that, Mr. Hassan, but what I
[00:18:05] really want to know is the difference. What
[00:18:09] is different about the system you are working with in the process of price
[00:18:12] control from perhaps different systems that
[00:18:16] the defunct regime used to work with? I mean, how
[00:18:21] be explained? Previously, there was restriction
[00:18:24] and price setting.
[00:18:27] a price bulletin for the consumer price, which was always
[00:18:30] far from reality and was a door
[00:18:35] implemented at all. The rate of implementation was very
[00:18:39] low, if I may say so. It used to be added
[00:18:42] to the provisions of the previous law, which was
[00:18:45] accompanied by imprisonment, which was another door to extortion. So consumer
[00:18:48] protection work was authoritarian,
[00:18:51] its impact was weak, in addition to the issue of quality
[00:18:54] and competition, which was also restricted to
[00:18:57] specific importers, even essential goods were restricted
[00:19:01] to specific importers who had ties to the authorities. But regardless
[00:19:05] of these procedures, currently the free market is opening up a wide field and door
[00:19:09] for competition and supply and demand, which is still in its
[00:19:12] beginning, which we see as one of the most important reasons for price
[00:19:17] in addition to other reasons related to the
[00:19:21] selling area, whether it is a city or a countryside or a popular
[00:19:25] market or a tourist establishment. Aha, okay, now
[00:19:28] if you are controlling prices so that there
[00:19:33] and you are also monitoring quality, we will get
[00:19:36] to these mechanisms, but
[00:19:40] I want to ask about the reason for the price increase.
[00:19:43] Is this related to your work, or is it an external
[00:19:47] matter that perhaps even relates to other ministries
[00:19:51] or other directorates? As
[00:19:54] essential goods, and indirectly in all goods through
[00:19:58] the price department and price surveying.
[00:20:01] Currently, for example, perhaps
[00:20:04] we can mention a practical example you implemented
[00:20:08] during the past period through price surveying for a commodity between
[00:20:11] governorates, and therefore you took action
[00:20:14] to control it. Yes, a live example is
[00:20:17] what is currently not witnessing stability, it has periods
[00:20:21] depending on supply and demand, which is chicken.
[00:20:24] Sometimes, of course, chicken is produced in some governorates
[00:20:27] and imported in others. The production stage costs
[00:20:31] less, with lower transportation costs in addition to the
[00:20:35] cutting of chicken from one governorate
[00:20:38] to another. So the large increases are sometimes linked to supply
[00:20:42] and demand and tourist seasons. Price surveying is done
[00:20:44] in case of an increase, intervention is made. Intervention is either
[00:20:48] through monitoring the sequence of
[00:20:51] invoices and price and price announcement, in addition
[00:20:54] to comparing it and intervening by controlling it by selling
[00:20:57] at an increased price or by considering
[00:21:00] that supply is low and demand is high, so a proposal is made
[00:21:04] and sent to the Supply and Procurement Committee to open
[00:21:08] imports of chicken, as happened recently. So the intervention reaches
[00:21:12] this extent, that you even
[00:21:15] control if the reason for the increase is a shortage of supply
[00:21:19] and increased demand, then a clear justification memorandum
[00:21:22] is prepared that the commodity is in
[00:21:25] the committee and the committee does this. Does this include
[00:21:28] all commodities? This includes all commodities that witness unjustified
[00:21:32] increases compared to all governorates. Of course, as
[00:21:35] you know, we are talking about a free market. Unrestricted
[00:21:39] in imports, unrestricted in production
[00:21:42] and in production materials. So the supply of the commodity in all governorates will be
[00:21:46] from multiple importers and also different
[00:21:49] producers, and at the same time, different sales outlets. When there is surveying,
[00:21:53] the surveying is at the level of all governorates, so if there is price stability, even if
[00:21:56] it is high, I mean, it is a high
[00:21:59] price from the consumer's perspective, yes, but
[00:22:02] all sales outlets are similar and stable.
[00:22:06] So this increase is sometimes often due to a shortage of supply,
[00:22:09] for example, yes, or a commodity that has witnessed a certain
[00:22:13] epidemic, a shortage, meaning the season was hit, so sometimes it witnesses
[00:22:17] an increase. So if the solution is in consumer
[00:22:22] protection, it also includes in case the
[00:22:26] import price is indeed lower, it is studied
[00:22:29] that the import price is lower and it secures the commodity, so import
[00:22:33] is opened for a limited period, of course, taking into account local
[00:22:36] production, taking into account, I mean, you also take into account the interest of
[00:22:39] the fact that last week chicken farmers were in a stage
[00:22:43] of loss. I mean, the week before, they always had protests
[00:22:46] and objections, so you opened exports.
[00:22:50] Exports are opened in a restricted manner, I mean, not for
[00:22:54] a limited period and types, so exports were opened for feathered chicken. This is
[00:23:00] the citizen, exactly. We saw a big decrease, and this includes all
[00:23:04] commodities. But despite all that you mentioned, Mr.
[00:23:07] Hassan, and the efforts you mentioned, honestly, and thank
[00:23:10] you for them, the price is still high. This is what
[00:23:14] the people said, most of the people we met,
[00:23:18] prices are always rising. And inflation. We want to get
[00:23:22] issue. As I mentioned to you, the reality is supply and demand,
[00:23:26] there is competition now. There is a project, God willing, soon
[00:23:30] it will see the light in all cities
[00:23:33] and rural areas, which is the Syrian Trade Halls
[00:23:35] that will open new sales outlets with specific
[00:23:39] goods and pricing, because, of course, it
[00:23:43] the partnership that will involve positive intervention for essential
[00:23:46] goods, so when prices rise,
[00:23:50] imports will be private or the supply of goods will be private
[00:23:54] if they are available in the local market at, let's say, a lower
[00:23:57] price. Oh, you will move to direct practical influence through
[00:24:01] centers. Where has this process reached, Mr. Hassan? In the experimental
[00:24:04] implementation phases, God willing, in the coming days, that
[00:24:08] will happen. Will there be subsidized goods or
[00:24:11] just to control the market? Like subsidized goods in the sense
[00:24:15] that they are goods with lower cost, but at a reduced price and taking into account
[00:24:19] a small profit margin compared to the inputs.
[00:24:22] The place of sale will be free,
[00:24:26] meaning the company that will offer them will have in return a reduction in
[00:24:29] essential goods in price, or let's say
[00:24:32] a small profit. So, until this moment, traders
[00:24:36] can still control the market.
[00:24:39] I mean, perhaps there are some cartels that can raise the price
[00:24:43] of a certain commodity. How do you deal with that? In case
[00:24:46] we see any price increase, a study is conducted
[00:24:50] from the primary source of import and even,
[00:24:53] in cooperation with land and sea ports,
[00:24:55] the issue of inspections and the entry of
[00:24:59] goods and the individuals who brought them in, the quantities,
[00:25:02] their distribution, and also visiting warehouses and counting the quantities.
[00:25:06] Of course, as I mentioned to you, this matter requires extensive
[00:25:09] preparation and counting, and we are moving forward with steps
[00:25:12] we started with a direct access system for all
[00:25:15] activities. And currently also
[00:25:17] for factories and plants, and also warehouses. When you have
[00:25:21] the information, you can intervene. This is through the application
[00:25:25] you are working on, your own application, and continuous monitoring
[00:25:29] happens and you expand. Okay, I want to ask about something related to
[00:25:32] citizen oversight, something important that always touches reality.
[00:25:36] How do you deal with citizen complaints
[00:25:39] and how will you activate
[00:25:42] regard? Honestly, I thank you, this is the important
[00:25:46] point because today the true eye and true oversight is
[00:25:49] the citizen. In light of market liberalization, we
[00:25:52] oblige businesses to announce prices, and the citizen
[00:25:56] when they, I mean, look at a price announcement in one place and a price announcement in a cheaper
[00:25:59] place, they will buy from the lower price, of course.
[00:26:03] But previously there was a big gap, we are
[00:26:08] people through an application that currently allows
[00:26:12] people to easily and quickly directly reach the ministry
[00:26:16] and the administration. More than 215,000
[00:26:19] businesses in Syria have been scanned.
[00:26:22] I mean, 215,000 businesses across all Syrian
[00:26:26] governorates. The application is available to the people, available
[00:26:29] to any consumer. They can scan it through their mobile
[00:26:33] phone, scan the barcode and send
[00:26:38] A response to the complaint should be received in less than 48 hours. Less than 48 hours. Of course,
[00:26:42] 48 is a very long period, I mentioned it as a maximum period, but
[00:26:45] sometimes it's within hours because in every governorate there is a person
[00:26:49] following the program and at the ministry level, there is follow-up on the program, follow-up on
[00:26:52] complaints. But let's be clear
[00:26:55] with you, there is still an increase of more than
[00:26:58] 200% in the number of complaints compared to before, but
[00:27:02] compared to the number of businesses, it is considered a small
[00:27:05] number. Is it difficult to sort complaints or do they follow
[00:27:08] a direct automated process? Direct automated. and the response according to the competent authority
[00:27:12] directly and follow-up if the claimant has a right, it is immediately followed up
[00:27:16] through how you might explain to us the mechanism, meaning if he noticed
[00:27:19] a price increase in a shop, in a store, how
[00:27:22] does he deal with it? Now, two parties deal with the campaign,
[00:27:25] the application. Let's say the application. We have scanned, as I told you, a number
[00:27:29] of 215 activities.
[00:27:34] the barcode and, of course, performs the procedure of monitoring
[00:27:37] the periodic invoices. We want the citizen
[00:27:40] so I will mention to you a comparison. The patrol enters
[00:27:44] and requests the invoices. It monitors the
[00:27:47] validity period, price announcement clearly and
[00:27:49] explicitly. The physical display and presentation in a suitable place.
[00:27:52] All health requirements. The citizen can
[00:27:56] do the same work himself by scanning the application and going to the complaint section.
[00:28:00] Uh-huh, he attaches a picture.
[00:28:02] It's possible to attach a picture for the complaint. This is a barcode in every
[00:28:06] shop or store. In every store that has been
[00:28:11] except to monitor the presence of the barcode. If it is not present,
[00:28:14] the first step is to scan the activity and enter the data of the activity owner
[00:28:18] directly and attach a special
[00:28:21] QR barcode for the activity.
[00:28:24] So he needs to download the application only
[00:28:27] and scan the barcode and submit the complaint directly with an attached picture.
[00:28:31] Exactly. In this way, the complaint reaches this smoothly. Practically,
[00:28:34] you received complaints and you took steps based on them.
[00:28:38] Practically, I mean, practically,
[00:28:42] there are always complaints daily.
[00:28:45] Always, based on them, there is data. You took action. Can you give us an example?
[00:28:49] Uh, I mean,
[00:28:52] I mentioned to you a complaint about the reduced weight of bread loaves in
[00:28:56] Daraa, Daraa's surroundings, at the delegate's place. Direct intervention
[00:28:59] and visiting the material source and the bakery. Verifying the weight
[00:29:03] of 50 loaves, in addition to
[00:29:06] the complainant directly regarding the complaint.
[00:29:09] Also, the owner, I mean, the complainant was
[00:29:13] about buying adulterated materials, so communication was made with them
[00:29:16] directly
[00:29:20] in detail. It's possible, I mean, but as I
[00:29:23] mentioned to you, the size of the activities
[00:29:26] is large, and we can expect that complaints will increase more than
[00:29:30] if, I mean, the contribution of the perhaps
[00:29:33] complainant is partial, meaning if
[00:29:36] it is completed, I mean, it strengthens the statistical process at the level
[00:29:40] of Syria. Perhaps the complaint will not be responded to directly, but
[00:29:45] everyone. Thus, perhaps a direct response to the complaint.
[00:29:48] This is a direct goal. We have set a maximum limit of
[00:29:51] 48 hours, and we expect that the network will be responded to in its own way.
[00:29:54] We will reach a time when it will be direct online, meaning
[00:29:58] also, the complaint contributes to the general statistics. The complaint contributes to
[00:30:03] the number of violations. The periodic assignment. We can, through
[00:30:07] the complaint, send the task to the patrol directly. Directly sending the head
[00:30:10] of the patrol to be present in his duties, and we send him a message on the phone that
[00:30:14] he should go to such and such a place. Ah, so that's it.
[00:30:17] An important task for patrols. Where they are deployed, their number,
[00:30:20] and their powers, as well. Daily, more than
[00:30:23] 325 patrols at the Syria level.
[00:30:27] 325 at the Syria level to a certain extent,
[00:30:30] meaning it can increase and decrease depending on the days and the tasks and the time.
[00:30:34] I mean, there are night patrols, Friday patrols, Saturday patrols. Of course,
[00:30:38] patrols have been equipped with modern vehicles, a car for quick and easy access
[00:30:41] for transportation with field laboratory analysis devices. Recently, these are important points.
[00:30:45] Or these analysis devices
[00:30:48] to increase transparency with the activity owner, analysis
[00:30:52] of frying oil, analysis of water, also
[00:30:56] a final step was in providing.