ALEPPO /Syria/, May 22. /TASS/. More than 15,000 businesses out of 60,000 that existed in Syria’s Aleppo Governorate, have resumed their activities, Chairman of the regional Chamber of Industry Fares al-Shehabi told reporters.
"The authorities are trying to provide subsidies and interest-free credits to entrepreneurs. As a result, more than 15,000 small businesses have opened in the Governorate," al-Shehabi said adding that tax holiday was given to entrepreneurs for the period of time that their businesses remained closed during militant occupation.
The chairman of the regional Chamber of Industry pointed out that military activities in Aleppo had begun in 2012 and had lasted until November 2016. Militants destroyed almost all small business facilities, turning those remaining into factories to produce weapons, explosive substances, mines and improvised missiles.
Reviving private businesses, whose share in Syria traditionally exceeds 90%, is the main economic goal of the local authorities so they have been creating conditions for that to happen.
Power lines are being built while authorities are providing generator fuel in areas where there are no power lines yet, al-Shehabi said.
He added that Russian deminers had cleared business facilities from mines in a short period of time, ensuring their security and thus facilitating the revival of small businesses.