Syria ditches Assad's portrait: New banknotes showcase Roses, Oranges and a fresh start

Damascus (The Uttam Hindu): After the long-running civil war in Syria and the recent change of power, the picture of the country has started changing. After the overthrow of former President Bashar al-Assad, the new government has taken a big decision and completely changed the country's currency. President Ahmed al-Sharaa released newly designed banknotes on Monday, from which the pictures of Assad and his family have been removed. Now, instead of the face of any ruler, pictures of roses, oranges and crops, which are considered the identity of the country, will be seen on Syrian notes. This step of the government is being considered a symbol of taking the country out of old conflicts and giving it a new and positive beginning.

The new notes honor Syria's agricultural wealth while eliminating "personal cults." These new notes, which will enter circulation on January 1st, feature different crops. Wheat will now appear on the 500 Syrian pound note, mangoes on the 200, cotton flowers on the 100, oranges on the 50, olives on the 25, and roses on the 10 pound note. President Sharaa said this change represents a new national identity and sends a message that the country is moving away from individual devotion and toward development and stability.

The biggest challenge facing the new government is managing the declining value of the Syrian pound. Before the civil war began in 2011, the Syrian pound was worth 50 to the dollar, but now it has fallen to around 11,000. Inflation is so high that people have to carry large bundles of notes in bags to buy even small items like milk and bread. To address this problem, the government has decided to remove two zeros from the notes, a process known as "redenomination." This means that goods that previously cost 10,000 pounds will now cost 100 pounds. While this will not change the purchasing power of the currency, it will significantly simplify everyday accounting and transactions for ordinary people.

President Sharaa, while releasing the new notes, said that this marks the end of an era that will not be remembered and the beginning of a new hope. However, suspense remains over the printing of these new notes. It is worth noting that Syria's old notes were printed in Russia, a major supporter of Bashar al-Assad. When journalists asked the head of the central bank, Abdul Qadir al-Hasriya, where these new notes would be printed, he remained silent on the matter due to security reasons and refused to share any information.