Προφίλ συναλλασσόμενης χώρας Συρία

Political outline | Living conditions | Useful resources | Communications

Political outline

Executive Power: The President is the head of state and is elected by a popular referendum for a seven-year term. The President is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and holds executive power. He can declare war, issue laws, amend the constitution, and appoint civil and military personnel. The President appoints the Prime Minister (as head of the government) and his cabinet, to serve for an unspecified period of time (as long as he wishes).
Legislative Power: The legislative power is unicameral in Syria. The parliament is called the People's Council (Majlis al-Shaab). It has 250 seats and its members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms. Syria has been under a state of emergency since 1963, which gives the President special powers.
Main political parties: The main political parties are:
- Arab Socialist (Resurrection) Party (Baath);
- Syrian Socialist Party (ASP);
- Arab Socialist Union (ASU);
- Syrian Communist Party (SCP);
- Socialist Democratic Union (DSUP).
Current political leaders: President: Bashar al-ASAD (since July 2000, re-elected in May 2007) - Baath Party
Vice President : Farouk al-Shara since February 11, 2006.
Prime Minister: Muhammad Naji al-Otari since September 18, 2003.
Next election dates: Presidential: 2014 (by referendum)
People's Council: 2011

Living conditions

Health and safety

Health precautions

A certificate of vaccination against yellow fever is required for travelers coming from infected areas. There is a risk of malaria in its benign form on the area along the northern border, and in particular in the north east of the country, from May to the end of October. The preventive treatment is recommended in the areas of risk: CHL.

To prevent traveler's diarrhea, it is advised to avoid the foods most at risk: prepared dishes eaten cold at a later hour, seafood, meat and fish if it is undercooked or badly cooked, and raw vegetables and fruits that you have not peeled yourself. Drinking water must be boiled, filtered or drinken directly from sealed bottles. Bathing in fresh water exposes you to the risk of urinary bilharziosis (or schistosomosis) although this risk is not very high, it can vary one bathing place to another, even in the same region. Do not bathe unless you can get reliable advice regarding the spot. Bilharziosis is particularly prevalent in the valley of the River Euphrates.

International hospitals

The main hospitals in Damascus where English is understood are:
- Chami Hospital (the most modern): tel. 371.89.70/71
- The French Hospital (no links with France): tel. 444.04.60/61
- The Italian Hospital: 332.60.30/31

In the public hospitals, one has to register in the waiting list to have an operation. In private establishments, two days of hospitalization costs about SYP 15,000 (about USD 200).

For further information on sanitary conditions

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada - Advice for travelers
French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade - Advice for travelers

For further information on safety conditions

French Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Foreign Affairs Canada

Contact your Embassy

Embassy of Greece in Syria
Mezzeh-Est, Farabi Street Garden
Bldg Pharaon Damascus (POBox 30319)-Damascus
Phone: 0096311- 6115009/ 6113035
Fax: 0096311- 6114920
E-mailgrembdam@mail.sy

Emergency numbers

Ambulance	110
Firemen	113
Police	112

Time difference and climate

Time and time difference: It is %T:%M %A in Damascus (GMT+2 in winter, GMT+3 in summer)
Summer time period: Summer time from April to October.

Map of the time zone

Type of climate: The climate is continental and dry in the interior, maritime and wet on the coast.

For further information: Syria's 10-day weather forecast.

Average annual temperatures and rainfall

Useful resources

To find an accommodation: Hôtel Sheraton ;
Furat Cham ;
Chahba Al-Cham ;
Asiarooms ;
Al Jalaa Ghazal Hotel ; Al Haramain Hotel. Syria has more than 400 hotels which offer a large choice of prices.
To find an apartment: Yalla House: Offers apartments and rooms for rent in houses of the old city.
To find a job: Future Corporation
Syriarec
Gulfjobs77

Communications

Telephone codes: To make a call from Syria to Greece: dial 00 or + (or +) 30
To make a call to in Syria from Greece: dial 00 (or +) +963
Mobile telephone standards: There are three public GSM 900 networks in Syria which operate on the basis of a BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) contract for 7 years. But there is not a roaming contract open, which means that there is no service offered by mobile phone operators to allow access to their services from abroad.
Internet suffix: .sy

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General Information