Peretz willing to accept Treasury 'immediately'
Sources close to defense minister say he is willing to accept Finance Ministry after AG ruling that Olmert cannot fill post indefinitely because of probe into his role in privatization of Bank Leumi
Associates of Amir Peretz said on Thursday that the defense minister would be willing to accept the position of finance minister immediately, after Attorney General Menachem Mazuz ruled earlier that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert could not fill the post indefinitely.
Mazuz said Olmert should relinquish the position soon because of the probe into his role in the privatization of Bank Leumi.
"Swapping these portfolios will indicate a genuine shift in the government's perceptions and its intentions to deal seriously with socio-economic gaps," a Peretz aide said.
Olmert said Sunday he wants to hold the finance portfolio during the temporary suspension of Finance Minister Avraham Hirchson who himself is at the center of a criminal investigation.
"There is a legal problem with the prime minister's tenure as acting finance minister and that is mainly due to the investigation being conducted against him for his involvement in the privatization of Bank Leumi when he served as finance minister," read a statement issued by Mazuz.
Olmert is suspected of altering a tender in 2005 to favor a bid for the controlling share in Bank Leumi by an investment consortium partly owned by his friend Frank Lowy.
Other candidates mentioned
Mazuz's decision follows an appeal by the Movement for Quality Government. The movement argued that it was inappropriate for Olmert to head the Finance Ministry while he was suspected of wrongdoing during his past tenure in the same post.
Mazuz ruled that the prime minister could fill the post for a "limited period of time, until the government appoints a new finance minister."
Hirchson is suspected of having embezzled funds from the non-profit organization Nili, which is associated with the National Workers' Organization, which he headed.
Interior Minister Ronnie Bar-On was mentioned in the past as a possible candidate for the post, as were ministers Shaul Mofaz and Meir Sheetrit, two of Olmert’s rivals in Kadima.
Sheetrit claims that both Olmert and former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon promised him the post.
The possibility of appointing a senior economic figure has also been raised, but sources close to the prime minister said he was leaning towards appointing someone from within his party.
Moran Rada contributed to this report
