Syria's central bank is to print new banknotes, which will replace those that were valid under dictator Bashar al-Assad. And the new banknotes will have two fewer zeros than today's banknotes.
(It) is a very important measure, but it will not affect the currency's value, says the central bank governor Abdul Qadir al-Hasriya in Syrian TV.
Since the civil war began in 2011, the Syrian pound has fallen violently against the dollar – from 50 pounds for a dollar to almost 11,000 pounds per dollar. This has meant that Syrians have been forced to carry thick bundles of banknotes just to be able to buy the most necessary things.
Replacing the national currency is a sign of economic liberation after political liberation and the fall of a previous regime, says the central bank governor.
