Will the secondary certificate become a condition for membership and the presidency of the Chambers of Commerce in Syria?
The managing director of the Economic and Energy Affairs Committee of the People's Assembly, Muhammad Fawaz, revealed that the articles of any draft law remain subject to public debate, until the bill is finally approved, and any member has the right to request discussion of any article again after its approval.
He stressed that the committee worked on making amendments to the bill of chambers of commerce that it studied before it was put up for discussion in the council, in a way that guarantees activating the role of the chambers in supporting the economy, bearing in mind that the union will not leave the government’s umbrella.
The Economist reviewed some of the amendments proposed by the committee and approved by the Council, and among the most important was the proposal to delete Article 35, and when Fawaz was asked about the reason for the proposal, he made it clear that this article violates the Syrian constitution.
Article 35 of the text of the Chamber of Commerce draft law says that the Minister of Supply assigns a worker to attend meetings of public bodies or boards of directors or any meetings that the Chamber may hold, to verify the quorum of the session, and the correctness of voting on the decisions taken at the meeting, and in the event of any objection, Raise the matter to the minister to decide.
Article 10 of the Constitution regarding the right to join trade unions states that popular organizations, professional unions and associations are bodies that include citizens for the development of society and the interests of its members, and the state guarantees its independence and the exercise of its popular control and participation in various sectors and councils specified in laws, in the areas Achieving its goals, and according to the terms and conditions prescribed by law.
The Committee also suggested amending Article 91 related to the Federation's revenues, which impose on chambers of commerce the payment of 12% of all allowances received by its employees, which mainly include membership fees for the rooms and the annual subscription of its members.
According to Fawaz, this article has caused controversy among merchants, and the amendment proposal came from the committee to leave the percentage to be determined by the new internal system of chambers of commerce, as an internal matter between the chambers and the union.
The committee also proposed amending Article 41 regarding the terms of membership of the boards of directors of the chambers, and adding two items. The first proposes a requirement that a member of the board of directors possess a basic education certificate, and the second requires that the chairman of the board have a secondary certificate.
Among the committee’s proposals is to amend paragraph (c) of Article 55, which says: “The Minister decides on the legality of the election exclusively, if there is an objection to it.” The amendment says, “The Minister decides on the validity of the election exclusively if an objection occurs to him.”
In addition to the mentioned proposals, amending paragraph (a) of Article 72, which permits the Minister of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection to dissolve the boards of directors of chambers by a decision from him if the council exceeds its powers, so that the decision to dissolve the boards of directors is in the hands of the prime minister by a reasoned letter from the minister.
The “Ministry of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection” recently submitted a draft law to amend Law 131 of 1959 regulating the affairs of the Chambers of Commerce, based on the necessity that it fits with economic developments, and to regulate the relationship between the chambers, the Ministry and other government agencies.
During the past two months, a number of merchants criticized the new draft law for the obligation that it obliges the merchant to register at least two workers in the "General Organization for Social Insurance", in order to be entitled to stand for election and even register in the chambers of commerce.
The “Federation of Chambers of Commerce” was established in Damascus in 1975, and the federation's current position is Ghassan Al-Qalaa. The federation finances its activities from the members ’annual contributions, bank interest, services fees it provides, investment returns, and various revenues.
Source: Website - SANA Agency / Photo from Internet Archive /
