Damascus, SANA – The Peoples’ Assembly approved on Thursday a draft law amending Article no.5 of Legislative Decree no. 75 for 1973 by which the Order of the Hero of the Republic was created.

The Order can originally be awarded to civilians in the Syrian Arab Republic who display glorious military-related feats contributing to achieving victory and to military members from Arab armies that engage in the fight against the enemy alongside the Syrian Arab forces.

According to the amendment, the Order can also be awarded to military members from brotherly and friendly armies that engage in the fight against the enemy and the terrorist gangs and hostile elements alongside the Syrian Arab forces.

Afterwards, the MPs discussed the performance of the ministries of Culture and Tourism.

Responding to queries, Culture Minister Issam Khalil pointed out that the ministry has recently completed drafting its new law that complies with the developments in Syria and ensures specialization-based structuring of the ministry and its affiliated establishments.

A legislative document on the history archive and another on protection of archaeological heritage are being prepared, Khalil added.

He noted that the ministry is working with the Tourism Ministry to invest in tourism sites, especially citadels, and set up economic projects that pay off to the state treasury.

For his part, Minister of Tourism Bishr Yazigi said about 312 tourism facilities were put into service in 2015 with an investment cost estimated at SYP 14 billion.

He noted that hotels made some SYP 1.244 billion in revenues in the same year and paid

SYP 600 million in taxes.

Reem/M. al-Frieh/H.Said