Press conference of National Fund for Supporting Quake – Affected People held

Damascus, SANA- Local Administration and Environment Minister Hussein Makhlouf said that the National Fund for Supporting Quake – Affected People’s priority is to provide support to the owners of houses that were destroyed by the earthquake, either these houses were urban or random.

Speaking at a press conference of the Board of Directors of the National Fund for Supporting Quake – Affected People on support strategy and priorities for the Fund’s work, Makhlouf noted that for urban houses, SYP 160 million will be allocated to the affected people in two payments.

In response to the journalists’ questions, Makhlouf explained that the lack of any of the required documents is what causes the application submitted by those affected to be rejected, and the rejection does not mean that another opportunity will not be available, as support will be offered.

Makhlouf indicated that the initial cost for those affected by the earthquake for categories A and B estimated SYP 156 billion.

Minister Makhlouf said that the announcement of freezing sanctions on Syria was a formality, and no bank can carry out commercial operations to mitigate the repercussions of the earthquake.

For his part, Minister of Public Works and Housing Suhail Abdel Latif said that the owners of the random houses have been given the opportunity to subscribe to urban houses at the Public Housing Foundation.

The minister noted that the work is underway to improving the urban reality in the random areas.

He underlined that all the necessary facilities will be provided to implement housing construction.

In response to a question by SANA reporter, Minister Abdul Latif said that earthquake-affected people whose their homes were in random areas, or their homes were illegal and located in urban areas are all entitled to subscribe to the Public Corporation for Housing for a new residence in one of the urban areas.

For his part, the director of the National Fund for Supporting those Affected by the Earthquake, Fares Kallas, said that one of the foundations of the participatory fund is to reach a better mechanism for providing support to those affected, and what the fund provides is non-refundable amounts.

Kallas added that the fund will continuously study the material price differences

He said that international organizations did not provide financial support, and there are donations that have reached the fund from institutions, individuals and private companies.

We have published the fund’s accounts and thank the donors, he went on to say

We are not working with everyone, and we will not be able to provide support unless the various institutions cooperate, Kallas indicated.

“The economic sanctions affected the response to the repercussions of the earthquake, and some countries wanted to donate, but the sanctions prevented that”.

Media will be a partner in the national plan to deal with the repercussions of  the quake and we welcome any new ideas. Kallas said.

Bushra Dabin/Shaza Qreima