Presidential Decree Targets Retirees
Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara has issued Decree No. 135 of 2026, raising retirement pensions for those covered by the country's insurance and social security framework by 30 percent. The text was promulgated on 26 May 2026 and applies to pension values calculated from the decree's effective date forward, rather than retroactively.
New Pension Floor
The decree fixes a new minimum monthly pension at 12,560 new Syrian pounds (SYP), equivalent to roughly 1.256 million pounds under the pre-redenomination scale. The 30 percent uplift is calculated on the existing pension before any floating-share component, which the decree explicitly excludes from the increase.
Who Is Covered
The uplift extends to retirees, their beneficiaries, disability pensioners, and recipients of work-injury disability pensions. The decree frames the rise as part of a continuing effort to improve living conditions for pensioners and social insurance beneficiaries, channeling additional fiscal support to fixed-income households.
Linked Wage Reform
Decree 135 follows Decree No. 67 of 2026, which set the general minimum wage in Syria. By anchoring the new pension floor to the redenominated currency unit, the latest measure aligns retirement income with the post-redenomination wage baseline rather than legacy pre-2025 figures still circulating in some payrolls.
Currency Context
The Syrian pound traded near 13,925 SYP to the US dollar (USD) on 28 May 2026, broadly flat over the past 24 hours but stronger by almost 5 percent against the dollar over the previous month. At that exchange rate, the new minimum monthly pension is worth roughly 90 US dollars.