Freezing of associations’ accounts in Syria raises questions over workers’ funds

The Syrian Transitional Government authorities have frozen the bank accounts of associations and unions since the beginning of the year, citing financial auditing procedures. The move has led to the suspension of retirement compensations for employees in the agricultural sector, sparking questions among workers about the fate of their monthly deductions and the absence of any official clarification.

27 October, 2025 06:20

DAMASCUS

Authorities of the Syrian Transitional Government issued a decision to freeze the accounts of numerous government institutions, unions, and associations at the start of the current year, under the pretext of auditing their financial resources.

Among the affected entities is the Association of Agricultural and Veterinary Institutes and Schools Graduates, where membership contributions begin upon graduation.

As a result of the freeze, no retirement compensations have been paid out throughout 2025, despite the continued deduction of subscription fees from all employees working in the agricultural sector.

Employees told ANHA agency that although the value of these compensations is not substantial compared to other payments, their repeated requests for clarification have gone unanswered. When they approached officials at the Ministry of Agriculture, they were consistently told that the association falls under the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor and that “we have nothing to do with it.”

This raises a key question among workers: “If the association is under the authority of the Ministry of Social Affairs, why is the Ministry of Agriculture still deducting these amounts? Under what legal provision? And where is the money being transferred?” Many such questions remain unanswered.

The monthly deduction from agricultural employees’ salaries under the Transitional Government which amounted to 2,000 Syrian pounds last year continues, and in fact, increases two or threefold at the start of each year under the label of a “general circular,” without any official explanation.

Workers are questioning the secrecy surrounding the account freeze, the fate of employees who have resigned or retired, their financial entitlements with the association, and which entity will be responsible for disbursing them as well as the government’s ongoing silence on the matter.

A more fundamental question also arises among members of these unions: Does auditing the association’s finances really require such a prolonged freeze of its accounts, or are there other motives behind the move?

ANHA