Opposition criticizes use of 2023 budget surplus amid war concerns in the north – Israel News
Opposition members criticized the plans for using budget surpluses from 2023 onwards in the Knesset Finance Committee on Monday morning.
Orit Farkash-Hacohen, a member of the National Unity Party, spoke out against restructuring the funds instead of using them for war expenditure. She said the country was not economically prepared for a war in the north and that restructuring the debt to “pointless” ministries that did not know what to do with it made no sense.
“We are heading for a war on the northern front, although the northern front is not even included in the budget,” said Farkash-Hacohen.
“Before our eyes, we have another hole in the budget that is not included in our spending. The entire war budget of the finance minister was not finalized in this committee because there were disputes over money for kindergarten teachers in the Ofek Hadash (education reform) program.”
“We’re talking about pushing for a one percent VAT increase, taxing our savings, having a black budget next year, and suddenly we have an opportunity in the form of excesses from ministries, some of which are pointless, with coalition funds that have not been cut,” she said.
As an example, she cited the “302 million shekels in surplus funds for Minister (Orit) Strock (for settlements and national missions), who does not know what to do with (the budgets) and therefore postpones them from year to year.”
The funds should not be transferred automatically, but should be discussed so that they can be used in the best possible way to meet the needs caused by the war, said Vladimir Beliak, MP for Yesh Atid, at the meeting.
“What world do you live in that you transfer NIS 300 million to Struk?” he asked. “Where do you live that you transfer tens of millions to the ministry of (Regional Cooperation Minister David) Amsalem, when regional cooperation is the last thing they did?”
“Let us talk about every shekel. This is the first discussion since the budget was passed. Give us the right to respond to every request (for funds),” he demanded.
Hamad Amar speaks to Moshe Gafni
Hamad Amar, a member of the Yisrael Beytenu Club, addressed committee chairman Moshe Gafni, a member of the United Torah Judaism party, and said that Gafni had stated that there would be no budget transfers if the Druze villages were not included in the compensation plans.
“We are transferring huge amounts of money. Does anyone know what is currently happening in the north? How many villages are not protected?” he asks.
When it comes to the budget restructuring plans, “only the welfare of the individual factions in the coalition will be taken into account,” he added.
The Knesset members also pointed out that the public deficit was much higher due to the war and that the budget surplus in this sense was not a real surplus but could be used to reduce the deficit.
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