Syrian Presidency Restores Suspended Pensions

The Syrian presidency has decided to resume pension payments for civilian retirees whose pensions were suspended for security reasons before December 8, 2024. The decision also provides for the payment of accumulated pensions to eligible recipients, while new pension payments will begin in October. Abdulrahman al-Aama, secretary general of the Syrian presidency, issued the decision on September 3. The General Organization for Social Insurance published it today, Monday, September 7. It stipulates that accumulated pensions will be paid to eligible recipients and that new pension payments for those covered by the decision will begin on October 1, with all legally mandated increases under decrees currently in force included. Hassan Khatib, director general of the General Organization for Social Insurance, said the decision represents a significant step toward restoring rights, ensuring fairness for retirees and eligible beneficiaries, and consolidating justice. Khatib said the organization will begin completing the required procedures and issuing the necessary executive instructions to ensure the resumption of entitlements and accumulated pension payments for those covered by the decision, in accordance with its provisions. He added that the decision resulted from joint efforts by the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, and the General Organization for Social Insurance to address the issue and ensure redress for those affected. Pension Increase Decree Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued Decree No. 135 of 2026 on May 26, granting pension recipients a 30% increase in their pension entitlements. The increase took effect on June 1. According to the decree, the increase applies to pension recipients covered by the Pension and Insurance Law and the Social Insurance Law, including their amendments. It also stipulates that the new pension must not fall below the general minimum wage established under Decree No. 67 of 2026, set at 12,560 new Syrian pounds. The decree also extended the increase to several categories, including beneficiaries entitled through pension recipients, recipients of natural disability pensions, recipients of total injury disability pensions, and civilian recipients of partial injury disability pensions who are not employed and do not receive an insurance pension from another entity. The decree stated that the new pension for public sector employees retiring after the decree came into effect must not be lower than the pension they would have received before the decree was issued, plus the new increase. It also set a ceiling on increases for pension recipients who previously worked outside public institutions, stipulating that their increase may not exceed the highest increase received by retirees who worked in state institutions. Syrian Finance Minister Mohammed Yisr Barnieh also issued executive instructions for Legislative Decree No. 135, which provides for a pension increase of at least 30%. The first article of the executive instructions grants a 30% increase to the following categories: Military and civilian retirees are subject to laws governing employee and worker retirement, as are civilians covered by the Social Insurance Law. Pension recipients entitled to natural disability pensions. Recipients of total disability pensions. Recipients of partial-injury disability pensions from the ministries of Defense and Interior, and the Customs Police. Families of pension recipients, according to each beneficiary's share of the pension. Civilian recipients of partial injury disability pensions, provided they were not employed on the date Decree No. 135 took effect and do not receive a pension from any other insurance entity, except for a transferred pension share. The ministry stated that the pension of any public sector employee referred to retirement on July 1 may not be lower than the pension they would have been entitled to had they retired the previous day, plus the 30% increase established by the decree. It added that the pension increase for people who worked outside government institutions may not exceed the highest pension increase received by former state employees, amounting to 4,227 new Syrian pounds. The pension for categories covering old age, natural disability, Defense Ministry personnel, Interior Ministry personnel, and Customs Police personnel may also not fall below the minimum wage of 12,560 new Syrian pounds. The Ministry of Finance noted that the increase provided under Decree No. 135 was to be paid with pensions distributed during the final week of June.