Olmert couple clothing budget: NIS 45,000

Finance Committee to approve special budgetary expenditures of prime minister, his wife. If committee takes recommendation of public committee on issue, they are expected to approve expenditures of private residence, but not authorize her private trips

Zvi Lavi|Published: 11.07.06 , 21:57

The Knesset Finance Committee will be called upon Wednesday to approve the special budgetary expenditures of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his wife Aliza. The committee is expected to approve expenditures regarding everyday expenses of their private residence, entertainment expenses and clothing expenses up to NIS 45,000 (USD 10,465), in addition to office expenses, mail services and two assistants.

The expenditures budget will be approved based on recommendations of a public committee which was established earlier this year after a request from former Director General of the Prime Minister's Office Ilan Cohen. The committee, headed by Yoram Gabai, discussed the list of requests the Olmert office had submitted and approved some of them.

"According to common practice," Gabai said, "the members of the committee were in complete agreement that the functioning of the Prime Minister in Israel and abroad also involves the functioning of his wife, with all special needs that arise from that." According to him, the committee had also decided not to approve a series of expenditures requested by the Olmert office for his wife's independent activities.

Gabai explains that this recommendation is based on the interpretation of the Knesset's legal advisor by which "the Finance Committee is not authorized to give special perks to the wife of the Prime Minister as an independent personality."

The other expenses that the committee has approved and are expected to be approved by the Knesset Finance Committee on Wednesday are: Expenses of routine maintenance of the Prime Minister's private residence, excluding taxes and improvements, and expenses of official entertainment outside of the official residence in Jerusalem, even if they are conducted by the prime minister's wife.

In addition, the committee has recommended to approve an appearance and clothing budget of the couple, against receipts that would not exceed NIS 45,000 (USD 10,465) a year.

The public committee has recommended approving a budget for the Olmert couple for chauffer services, office and mail services that the prime minister's wife is allowed to use because she is eligible for living and support in the residence. Office services will include office supplies, and up to two full time assistant positions. The mail will not include letters of personal, business, or political nature.

The expenditures the public committee has chosen not to approve for the prime minister's wife are expenses of private trips abroad, newspapers, books, tuition, and gifts. In addition, the committee has not approved the same conditions the wife gets while she is traveling as the prime minister's official companion such as first class flights, lodging and expenses suitable for a prime minister and per-diem of USD 25 per day.