A report carried by Ma'ariv from the Financial Times said that the opening of the Syrian market after the fall of Bashar al-Assad in 2024, and the lifting of import restrictions by the new government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, led to a flood of cheap products, especially yarn from Egypt, forcing Muhammad Aita's yarn factory to stop and lay off 110 workers. Despite expectations of growth for the Syrian economy in 2025, experts warn that a large part of the growth comes from international support, while cutting fuel and bread subsidies led to widespread protests.
In Damascus, a decision by Central Bank of Syria Governor Muhammad Safwat Raslan to terminate the assignment of dozens of employees working in provincial branches and obligate them to return to Damascus sparked controversy inside the bank, according to private sources. The sources said the decision placed the employees, most of them from the Alawite sect and university degree holders, some with doctorates, before additional living burdens and difficult career choices between resignation or working in the City of Exhibitions. This comes amid major economic challenges facing the Central Bank, including a shortage of foreign liquidity, inflation, and technical obstacles related to the SWIFT system.
On the industrial front, Syrian manufacturers complained of rising energy and labor costs after some subsidies were reduced, in addition to difficulties in bank financing and the failure to modernize equipment because of the war and sanctions, making local production more expensive than in some countries. After a new customs system was applied and trade policy was unified, manufacturers complained of high fees on raw materials versus imported goods entering at low costs, so the Ministry of Economy changed policy toward partial protection tariffs and required higher quality standards. This allowed some factories to resume limited activity, while the government is moving toward a market economy.
On the social front, attention was drawn to Sheikh Nur al-Burhan, a Salafi sheikh who runs a YouTube channel with nearly half a million followers, spends hours arguing about the superiority of his religion over other religions, and spreads Nazi hatred and lies. Al-Burhan claims that the Druze committed genocide against al-Julani's elements.