The Knesset Finance Committee has defered a request by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to increase the size of the office that he is entitled to after his retirement. He has rented space on the 15th floor of the Platinum Tower in Tel Aviv.
Finance Committee chairman MK Avishai Braverman (Labor) said today that the committee decided not to discuss the request submitted by Prime Minister’s Office director general Raanan Dinur for an extra 30 square meters of office space. The new Finance Committee will take up the request after the next government is formed.
Former prime ministers are eligible for a 140-square meter office. However, Dinur stated in his letter that this size did not take into account the security needs for former prime ministers. He claimed that Prime Minister’s Office security department needs 30 square meters of office space to carry out its duties. This demand meant that Olmert would need a 170-square meter office.
If the new Finance Committee agrees to Olmert's request, it will also apply to all former prime ministers, who are also eligible for NIS 2 million a year to rent office space and hire aides, a car and driver, and secretaries.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on February 24, 2009
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