Former Finance Ministry director general Shai Babad attacks his former colleagues – former deputy budget commissioner Shaul Meridor and Babad’s successor in the director general’s office, the Turner Eyal Foundation – following the two’s interview on the “Fact” program that aired on Thursday the last one.
“I think part of the problem stems from the gatekeepers themselves,” he said yesterday at the AV & D’s Market Market Forum, which took place yesterday in the presence of industry executives. “When you are an official, it is your job to advise and persuade political figures, to make a recommendation Sets the policy, you implement. The problem is that the officials got confused, every time the minister decides something that is not right for us, we will be texted, torpedoed and defiled? These are things that bureaucrats, especially in the treasury, would make news for tomorrow, and a serious crisis of confidence was created between the professional and political echelons. In the end, the political echelon decided to segregate the professional echelon, because they fear leaks and defamation. “
The AVD also referred to the allegations raised in the article, such as instructions to “play with the numbers” – as Meridor claimed. It is their duty and not their right, “says the Av Beit Din. “We have a law in this country, and it is not appropriate for the media to turn around. Apart from populism and promoting the rift among the people, this move does not solve anything. “However, he received great confidence from the prime minister, implemented decisions and pushed for policy. His power stemmed from the fact that he understood his role, and all discussions between the political and professional echelons were held behind closed doors.”
“Prime Minister responsible for budget”
Along with the criticism of Meridor and Turner, the former finance director also sharply attacked the prime minister and finance minister. “There is no doubt that this budget is not a failure of the government. The responsibility of a finance minister is to harness the professional echelon. Once a political echelon makes decisions without recommendations from the professional echelon – the result is problematic. The fastest budget it can pass will be July-August 2021. There is no such budget, it is wrong and unhealthy and causes damage to the Israeli economy. “
Regarding the interest rate, he said: “The interest rate adjusts itself to the inflation targets set by the Bank of Israel, and as a result the exchange rate is derived. Because the Israeli economy was strong, the shekel strengthened and the dollar eroded.”
However, the AVD is optimistic in light of the rapid progress of the vaccines project: “Assuming the vaccine catches the mutations and contains them, I guess in March-April the economy will open up, and we will be able to return it to employment. If there are mutations that the vaccine does not contain, we will have to face new challenges. “If there is no functioning government, we will find ourselves running from lock to lock, and the blow to the economy will be more severe.”