In a fresh endeavour to show its determination to push forward reforms, Syria has introduced a new
package of reforms while the government troops ended its mission in the central province of Homs.
Syrian Prime Minister Adel Safar has established a new program to employ 10,000 university graduates annually at government institutions, Syria's official news agency SANA reported on Thursday.
Mohammad Habash, a parliament member, told Xinhua that "creating 10,000 job opportunities yearly is something good however it doesn't solve the unemployment problem because we have almost 200,000 job seekers each year in the labour market." "The new reforms are expected to reflect people's will positively," he added.
Safar has also decided to form a committee to prepare a new law for general elections. The committee will finish its work within two weeks
after reviewing Arab and foreign elections laws, according to SANA.
"This committee was instructed to prepare a new general election law within 15 days," Habash said.
George Gabour, a local political analyst, told Xinhua that "I hope the new committee would end its work on time and the new elections would take place in the coming months."
Syria has been wracked by protests calling for reform and freedom for nearly two months. The government blamed the unrest on armed gangs and
thugs to weather the sectarian strife in the country.
In order to quell protest, the Syrian government lifted a state of emergency, which has been imposed since 1963 that allowed police to arrest people without warrants and imprison them without trial.
The ruling Baath party also agreed to allow other political parties to involve in Syrian politics, and lifted media restrictions.
Meanwhile, the local al-Watan newspaper said Thursday the army has pulled out from the province of Homs after the completion of its
mission, seizing a large amount of weapons.
A military source said late Wednesday that army units and security agents are still tracking "armed terrorist" groups in the suburbs of
the southern province of Daraa, noting that clashes left two army officers killed and five others wounded, in addition to many casualties among the gunmen, according to the newspaper. The interior ministry said 3,308 people who were involved in riots have turned themselves in to the authorities and were released after they pledged not to join such acts, according to SANA.