Today, Wednesday, March 27, the Syrian Salvation Government (SSG) working in the Idlib governorate issued a decision that exempted property ownership transfer transactions from security approval.

According to Decision No. “62,” which was published on its official website, presenting security approval in ownership transfer transactions, power of attorney, and adjudication decisions is exempted, provided that the defendant or the owner or the principal is present before the competent worker, with the condition of proving his/her presence with a personal card, or any other document issued by the Salvation Government.

The decision excluded certain types of transactions, such as external powers of attorney that involve property transfer through video, and the execution of verdicts where the defendant did not attend the trial sessions or was represented based on an external power of attorney.

The decision issued by the head of the Salvation Government, Muhammad al-Bashir, was based on a statement from the Syrian General Conference, a decree from the Presidency of the Consultative Council, and the provisions of the Basic Workers’ Law, as well as the approval of the General Directorate of Cadastral Affairs.

On March 6, the Salvation Government issued a decision related to fees for residential, commercial buildings, and facilities, according to certain terms and conditions, including the cancellation of financial fees for residential buildings that are 50 square meters or less, and exemption from the preparation of engineering plans.

Building owners of all kinds (residential, commercial, facilities) were also exempted from 75% of the technical and engineering financial fees in the Ministry of Local Administration and Services. The exemption includes fees for licenses, settlements, violations, auditing, and others, and transactions are exempt from 90% of the value of the improvements.

The decision is the first of its kind in terms of reduction rates and was followed by a decision to grant licenses for properties jointly owned under certain conditions, including a court verdict decision and the existence of a certified sales and purchase contract at the notary public.

Also, a decision issued after the earthquake on February 6, 2023, stipulated exempting certain categories of residents from the fees incurred for rebuilding their homes, also under certain conditions.

The decision recently coincided with demonstrations rejecting the policy of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) which maintains military control in Idlib, demanding the overthrow of the faction’s leader Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the release of detainees, and the clearing of prisons.

According to what the Salvation Government published in July 2023, the Ministry of Local Administration therein has divided the areas it manages in northwestern Syria into four categories in terms of the living situation of the displaced in them, and the construction, commercial, and industrial movement they witness, to achieve a balance in urban development between the areas.

It added that the four categories included in the ministry’s decisions are not treated equally in terms of fees and legal treatment but rather take into account the reality of the category in which they reside and the conditions of their inhabitants.