Government Spent SYP 12.4 billion to Help Crisis Victims: Premier

DAMASCUS- The government is ready to cooperate with all international organizations, commissions and civil society associations and to facilitate the process of conveying humanitarian assistance to crisis-hit citizens in different Syrian provinces, stressed Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi on Monday.

During his meeting with Mother Fadia al-Lahham, Head of Mar Ya’coub Convent, al-Halqi said the government has spent SYP 12.4 billion to help crisis-hit families. It is also keen to increase the budget earmarked for relief activities to SYP 1 billion a month.

The premier pointed out that the government provides relief assistance to displaced families staying in 830 temporary housing centers and it is now working hard to establish 10.000 housing units as temporary houses for displaced people in the industrial cities of Adra and Hessya.

The premier hailed Mother al-Lahham’s humanitarian efforts and keenness to reveal the reality of events in Syria to many countries and personalities around the world.

Al-Halqi briefed Mother al-Lahham on the global war which has been targeting Syria through internationally-backed armed terrorist groups and mercenaries aiming to undermine the state’s sovereignty and resisting role, destroy the country’s institutions and infrastructure and weaken the Syrian Arab Army.

For her part, al-Lahham highly appreciated the Syrian government’s efforts to facilitate the work of international organizations and help them convey medical and humanitarian assistance to the victims of the crisis in all provinces.

She pointed out that during her latest tour in some European countries, she felt a positive change in the stances of many European political figures  and in the European public opinion regarding the ongoing events in Syria.

“Many of them realized that Syria is being exposed to a global war, particularly in terms of the unjust sanctions and siege which targeting the Syrians’ living,” mother al-Lahham clarified.

In a statement to journalists following the meeting, Mother al-lahham described Syria as the “mother who cares about all her sons regardless their belongingness, loyalties and orientations.”

Her remarks came after she herself had visited some areas in a number of Syrian governorates and saw how much efforts the government has been exerting to ease the suffering caused to the Syrian people by the armed groups.   

H .Mustafa