The Syrian opposition’s spending since the Syrian National Council’s (SNC) formation was startlingly high with a lack of transparency and oversight, according to new financial documents obtained by Zaman al-Wasl.
Spending from October 2011 until the end of 2012 reached €.22 million, €8.3 million of which went to aid and relief, all of which was distributed by one individual belonging to a single particular political party.
Receipts and invoices from SNC members shows that all had claimed each cent spent, with a member claiming a receipt of TRY.40 as a mobile phone recharge. Many members were also paid without providing a receipt.
The cost of a year’s phone calls reached to €17,743, with documents showing that calls and transportation were the most consuming of the council’s spending. The council also covered all costs of fuel and servicing for those members with a private car.
The documents show that the servicing costs for a member’s private car reached TRY1,300 while other receipts showed the cost of towing a broken-down car also reached TRY70.
All receipts presented to the council’s accountant by the members were paid, despite all having salaries. Even the private guards or assistants – usually members of their families – received salaries of up to €1,200 a month.