Muhammad al-Bashir, Prime Minister of the Syrian Interim Government, appealed on the 11th (local time) for his compatriots who fled abroad during the 13-year civil war to return home, according to major foreign media reports.
In an interview released that day, Prime Minister al-Bashir said his top priority is "to bring back the millions of Syrian refugees overseas," adding, "The country can prosper with their human resources and experience."
He appealed to "all Syrians abroad," saying, "Return to Syria, a free country that has now regained pride and dignity." He continued, "We must rebuild, be reborn, and need everyone's help."
At the same time, Prime Minister al-Bashir said there is a lack of budget for refugee return and national reconstruction. He said, "The treasury holds only Syrian pounds (SYP) of almost no value," adding, "You can buy 35,000 coins with one dollar."
He also stated, "There is no foreign currency, and we are collecting data on debts and credits," describing the financial situation as "very bad."
Since the outbreak of the civil war in 2011, Syria's economy has collapsed over 13 years, causing many citizens to turn their backs on their country and flee abroad. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the number of officially registered Syrian refugees worldwide once reached about 5.5 million and stood at 4,817,000 as of last month. T?rkiye has accepted about 61%, or 2,938,000, followed by Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt.
Some refugees are returning to Syria, but the majority still remain in Europe and various parts of the Middle East. The day before, many European countries including Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Austria, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Greece suspended asylum procedures for Syrian refugees.
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