House on Cremieux Street
Photo: Alex Kolomoisky
PM Olmert
Photo: AP
House purchase: Evidence in support of PM's version
Alumot company, which sold apartment on Jerusalem's Cremieux Street in to Olmert, says it sent state comptroller documents refuting claims that prime minister bought house for reduced price in bid to help speed up project
Evidence in favor of Olmert in home purchase affair? The Alumot real estate company says that it recently sent the State Comptroller's Office evidence which could refute the claims against the prime minister, according to which he bought the apartment on Jerusalem's Cremieux Street for a reduced price during his tenure as industry, trade and labor minister, in a bid to speed up sales in the building project.
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Sources at the real estate company reported that they sent the state comptroller "new and unequivocal evidence," according to which about a month before the prime minister and his wife purchased the property, the company offered the exact same apartment to different buyers for USD 100,000 less.
"The apartment's price in this offer totaled USD 1.1 million, meaning a price cheaper than the price paid by the Olmert couple, who purchased the apartment for a sum of USD 1.2 million," the company said in a statement.
In the letter sent to the state comptroller, the company's representative, Attorney Navot Tel Tzur says that "this is dramatic evidence, which may completely refute the alleged 'bribe' claim, which is baseless."
Alumot asked the comptroller to utilize the investigation to the fullest before publishing his conclusions on the matter.
On Monday, Olmert met with representatives of the State Comptroller's Office at his Jerusalem residence, and provided clarifications on the house purchase. Officials at the Prime Minister's Office reported that the meeting lasted for 45 minutes.
Officials at the state comptroller's office confirmed that a letter had been sent from the Alumot company and that they were examining it.
