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Public Outrage Over Fuel Crisis as Qablanawi’s Resignation Reaches al-Sharaa
The fallout from Syria’s off-specification gasoline crisis continues, amid public anger and questions over who was responsible for distributing a shipment that damaged citizens’ vehicles, how those affected will be compensated, and what lies ahead for the Syrian Petroleum Company’s CEO, Yousef Qablanawi.
According to a source familiar with the matter, Qablanawi submitted his resignation to Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, citing work pressure and requesting a transfer to another position. Meanwhile, *Al-Modon* quoted a government source as saying that a decision to dismiss him was all but finalized and could be announced within the next two days, in response to the crisis and its fallout.
The source said there were disagreements within the government and obstacles to making the decision. The source also alleged that foreign powers were intervening to support Qablanawi’s remaining in office. These claims could not be independently verified.
Syria’s Ministry of Energy had announced the findings of its investigation, saying that a shipment of gasoline that failed to meet specifications had been unloaded into the Syrian Petroleum Company’s storage facilities. A operational error during the shipment’s return to its source then caused it to mix with compliant gasoline, allowing some of the mixture to reach the local market. The ministry said legal measures would be taken against those responsible for errors or negligence, according to each person’s role, and that the company had been instructed to establish a compensation mechanism for those affected.
The government source also alleged that an engineer at the Ministry of Energy identified the shipment as non-compliant and refused to sign off on it, before being dismissed by Qablanawi. The source further claimed that the shipment was distributed despite officials’ awareness that it did not meet specifications. These details were not included in the ministry’s public statement and require official clarification.
The crisis has also renewed broader questions about Qablanawi’s appointment by presidential decree: What criteria were used to select him to lead a vital institution? Were qualified Syrian engineers and experts in the oil and gas sector considered? And who else was shortlisted for the role?
Posts and videos circulating online, attributed to Qablanawi, have also drawn criticism over his alleged remarks about citizens. These include comments said to describe social media users as “being led like a flock” and to disparage one individual. The authenticity and context of the material could not be independently verified; Qablanawi and the relevant authorities should be given an opportunity to clarify the claims.
As calls for accountability grow and the investigation’s findings are awaited, the central questions remain: What happened, who is responsible, and how will citizens be compensated for their losses while the country’s resources are safeguarded?
