Damascus-SANA
The Minister of Local Administration and Environment, Engineer Hussein Makhlouf, confirmed that Decree 216 issued by President Bashar al-Assad today setting the 18th of next September as the date for electing members of local councils enshrines the will of every Syrian citizen to hold the elections on time, stressing that everyone is called to make this national benefit a success by choosing energies. And cadres and competencies and pumping new blood to develop a comprehensive service development plan for the next four years.
Makhlouf said during a telephone conversation with Al-Souria TV: We all know that the will of every Syrian citizen is to hold the elections on time, and this is enshrined in Decree 216, after four years of the work of the current local councils, which are nearing completion, as the new decree sets the date for the elections on the 18th of next September To elect local councils and pump new blood, energies, cadres and competencies to lead local work in the next stage and follow up the development and renaissance process by setting a comprehensive service development plan for the next four years and working on its implementation.
Makhlouf explained that there are 1,470 administrative units distributed over 14 governorates, 158 cities, 572 towns and 726 municipalities, and 19,086 members will be elected in the various governorates. Or local institutions through which citizens exercise their role in sovereignty, state building and community leadership, while the Local Administration Law No. 107 of 2011 gave local communities the power and responsibility to manage their own affairs by electing local councils with full powers at the local level.
The Minister of Local Administration and Environment pointed out that Article 39 of the Elections Law No. 5 of 2014 stipulates that those who meet the conditions are entitled to run for office, to have enjoyed the nationality of the Syrian Arab Republic for at least ten years from the date of submitting the candidacy application, and to have completed twenty-five years of age and to be Enjoying his civil and political rights and not being deprived of the exercise of the right to vote and not having been convicted of a felony or a heinous misdemeanour or a breach of public confidence by virtue of a judgment of peremptory degree unless he has been rehabilitated in accordance with the law, where the heinous misdemeanors that violate public confidence are determined by a decision of the Minister of Justice and that he is a voter in the electoral district for which he is running or transferring his electoral domicile to it.
Makhlouf indicated that Decree 216 will be published in the Official Gazette tomorrow, and that the day after its publication begins accepting candidacy applications, i.e. from the morning of Friday, August 5, until the end of official working hours on Thursday, the 11th, in implementation of the election law, which stipulates setting a period of seven days to accept applications.
Makhlouf stressed that the Ministry of Local Administration and the governorates is fully prepared and there is a full alert from all concerned authorities that grant documents related to candidacy, such as the issuance of a civil registration or an unconvicted document, or others, as it has been circulated to continue working, including next Friday, the first day to receive the applications of candidates to facilitate the citizens To accept their candidacies, stressing that the local community and citizens are concerned with the success of this important entitlement through the demand for candidacy by competencies and cadres who see themselves as capable of development and service and have the willingness and vision to do so, and the desire of citizens to exercise the right and duty to elect the most qualified and worthy to lead the local work.
Makhlouf pointed out that the elections process is being conducted under the full supervision of the Supreme Judicial Committee for Elections, and there are sub-judicial committees at the governorate level and nomination committees that receive candidacy applications. The ministries concerned with the electoral process, "Justice, Interior and Local Administration", have taken the necessary measures and all the requirements for logistical support for the process, including documents and envelopes. forms, funds and other requirements in full, stressing that Syria will be on a date with an important national entitlement, which we hope will constitute a qualitative leap in improving the level of services for citizens and the advancement of local communities in the development and service fields through the election of new local councils that lead local action in the next stage and follow the development and renaissance process with the participation of Complete with the local community in each province.
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