The Syrian Center for Policy Research (SCPR) indicated that Syria's fiscal deficit narrowed from 40% of GDP in 2013 to 23.7% of GDP in 2016, while it widened to 33.5% of GDP in 2018 and reached 26% of GDP in 2019. It noted that government receipts fell from 25.4% of GDP in 2011 to 7.4% of GDP in 2019. It added that the government aimed to increase revenues since the onset of the conflict through the liberalization of the prices of basic goods and services and the increase in indirect fees and taxes. In parallel, it pointed out that total expenditures declined from 29% of GDP in 2011 to 13.3% of GDP in 2019. It said that the regime increasingly allocated its resources to military operations and conflict related-activities, as military spending stood at 17.2% of GDP last year, relative to 1.7% of GDP in 2011 and 13% of GDP in 2015. It noted that spending on public-sector wages and salaries decreased from 16.4% of GDP in 2014, its highest level in the 2011-19 period, to 6% of GDP in 2019; while spending on subsidies fell from 20.2% of GDP in 2011 to 4.9% of GDP last year and capital expenditures dropped from 7.3% of GDP in 2011 to 2.9% of GDP in 2019. It indicated that the cut in subsidies increased production costs and inflationary pressure, which constrained local demand. In parallel, it pointed out that the public debt level increased from 30% of GDP in 2010 to 208% of GDP in 2019, driven by the rise in the external debt level from 7% of GDP in 2010 to 116% of GDP in 2019. 
Source: Syrian Center for Policy Research