Middle East Economic Survey

VOL. XLVIII

No 10

7-March-2005

SYRIA

Syrias Spending Creeps Up In 2005 But Deficit Falls To $2.1Bn

Syrias budget for 2005 projects a small rise in spending to S460bn ($9.2bn) compared to S449.5bn ($9bn) in 2004, according to figures published in the Official Gazette of 12 January 2005. But the deficit (not declared as such, but covered by the Exceptional Financing category) falls to S103.9bn ($2.1bn) from S143.5bn ($2.9bn) in 2004. Spending is dominated by government...