The Knesset Finance Committee voted down a motion to require the government to raise the Chief Scientist’s 2007 budget by NIS 500 million.
The coalition members of the Knesset Finance Committee today sent up trial balloons ahead of the Knesset plenum’s second and third votes on the 2007 budget and economic arrangements bills.
In the presence of Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor Eli Yishai, coalition Finance Committee members voted down a motion by the opposition to require the government to raise the Chief Scientist’s 2007 budget by NIS 500 million. Yishai did not instruct Shas party members to vote in favor of the motion, even though he has personally asked Minister of Finance Abraham Hirchson to boost the Chief Scientist’s budget. One reason for Yishai’s silence was that Ministry of Finance has not yet finalized the matter.
Finance Committee chairman MK Yakov Litzman (United Torah Judaism), who favored increasing the Chief Scientist’s budget told the MKs, “It is not possible to change government decisions with one vote.” MK Sheli Yacimovich (Labor) said that the Finance Committee should challenge the government. “Sometimes the Knesset should confront the government,” she said.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on January 1, 2007
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2006